(Changes sourcing, adds minister comment, latest data)
By Nathan Allen
MADRID, March 15 (Reuters) - Spain will stop using
AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for at least two weeks,
the government said on Monday, joining a growing list of
European countries putting the brakes on the shot over concerns
about possible side effects.
Earlier on Monday France, Germany and Italy joined Denmark,
Norway and several others in halting use of the drug after
reports of blood clots in some patients who had received the
vaccine.
"We take this decision today in the interest of caution,"
Health Minister Carolina Dias told a news conference.
She referred to "infrequent cases which are very few but
very significant and have prompted Spain to join the other
countries that have opted for this precautionary suspension."
The top World Health Organization scientist reiterated on
Monday that there have been no documented deaths linked to
COVID-19 vaccines.
The WHO appealed to countries not to suspend vaccinations
against a disease that has caused more than 2.7 million deaths
worldwide.
Last week, Darias said her administration was monitoring the
situation but had only detected light side-effects such as
headaches, dizziness and intestinal trouble.
Nevertheless, several Spanish regions decided to stop using
the vaccine until more information became available.
Europe's EMA medicines regulator said it would meet on
Thursday to analyse the situation and reaffirmed its view that
the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks.
Spain has administered some 6.7 million vaccine doses,
around 930,000 made by AstraZeneca.
Authorities are rolling out vaccines to key workers and
elderly people, having inoculated the top priority group of
nursing home residents and staff.
Early signs suggest the vaccination campaign is already
helping to slow transmission, health officials have said, and
the country's infection rate over the past two weeks of 129
cases per 100,000 people is the lowest since August.
A total of 11,358 cases were reported since Friday, bringing
the overall tally up to 3.19 million, while the death toll rose
by 166 to 72,424.
(Additional reporting by Isla Binnie. Editing by Jane Merriman)