질병청 "독감백신 접종후 사망자, 오늘 오후 1시 기준 36명"<br /><br />South Korea's forensic agency has found no links between a teenage boy's death and a seasonal flu shot he had received as nearly a dozen more people have died after being vaccinated today taking the toll to well above 30.<br />The 17-year-old was among the first reported to have died after getting the flu shot.<br />The KCDA is holding a meeting with vaccination experts as we speak to review developments as the nation's largest grouping of doctors called for a halt in the natonal vaccination program.<br />Kim Yeonseung has details.<br />The number of people reported dead after receiving flu vaccines in South Korea has risen to 36 as of Friday.<br />Concerns mount with more than 20 fatalities reported since Thursday midnight...prompting health professionals to search for answers.<br />"So far, experts have confirmed that the link between the vaccine and the deaths is a weak one, but still many are unable to put their minds at ease."<br />A post-mortem investigation of the deceased 17-year-old from Incheon reveals that the cause of death was unrelated to the flu shot he received two days prior.<br />Others who have died were mostly in their advancing years or had other underlying health conditions...such as high blood pressure or diabetes.<br />With no clear link to be found, health authorities continue to advise people to get their flu shots.<br />"Up to three-thousand people die per year due to influenza. Because the flu can worsen any underlying diseases and lead to death, it's safer to get the shot."<br />But the increasing number of deaths has created a certain level of distrust in the government's vaccine program.<br />The Korean Medical Association has asked for a temporary suspension until safety is assured.<br />The city of Pohang in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and the Yeongdeungpo-gu District of Seoul have both chosen to halt their vaccine programs for one week.<br />The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency will reveal on Friday evening... whether to continue with the vaccine program after holding a 'vaccination damage investigation team meeting' and a 'special committee on vaccinations.'<br />Kim Yeon-seung, Arirang News<br />
