Denmark suspends AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine over blood clotting cases.

March 11 (UPI) — The Danish government on Thursday said it has temporarily suspended distribution of the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University over potential issues with blood clotting.

The Danish Health Authority cited “severe cases of blood clotting” among some recipients of the vaccine.

The suspension will last for two weeks, officials said.

“It is important to emphasize that we have not opted out of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but that we are putting it on hold,” National Board of Health Director Soren Brostrom said in a statement.

“There is good evidence that the vaccine is both safe and effective. But both we and the Danish Medicines Agency have to react to reports of possible serious side effects, both from Denmark and other European countries. It shows that the monitoring system works.”

More than 50 countries have authorized the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, including Britain and Canada. The vaccine has not yet been given emergency use authorization in the United States.

Austria suspended the vaccine after a recipient was diagnosed with multiple thromboses, or blood clots within blood vessels, and died 10 days after vaccination, the European Medicines Agency said.

Officials said another recipient was hospitalized with artery blockage in the lungs after being vaccinated, but is now recovering

“There is currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions, which are not listed as side effects with this vaccine,” the EMA added, calling the suspension a “precautionary” move