Thirteen new adverse events, including four serious ones, have been reported among the over 9,200 people who had received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Taiwan, as of Friday, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center, CNA reports.

Taiwan has recorded a total of 27 adverse events, including the newly reported 13 cases, since the roll-out of the vaccination began on Monday, CECC official Lo Yi-chun said Saturday.

This was the first time the CECC has reported serious adverse events since a nurse in New Taipei became the first person to experience a severe reaction after receiving the vaccine on Wednesday.

Among the four newly reported serious adverse events, two of the recipients are under observation in hospital because they suffered a fever and shortness of breath, according to Lo.

The initial diagnosis for the two, along with another individual who developed a skin rash, shortness of breath and an elevated heartbeat but was not hospitalized, is that they may have had an allergic reaction to the vaccine, Lo said.

The other person among the four fainted on the way to work Thursday, after receiving the jab a day earlier, Lo said.

That individual, who has a history of heart arrhythmia and fainting, was hospitalized and discharged Saturday morning, according to Lo, who added that fainting is not a reaction expected among healthy recipients.

The CECC encourages hospitals to report adverse events, so it can better evaluate the vaccination roll-out, Lo said.

The 27 adverse events account for around 0.3 percent of the 9,232 people who had been vaccinated in Taiwan as of Friday, Lo said, adding that the ratio is lower than the 1.36 percent reported in South Korea, which has administered 732,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Most of the vaccine recipients in Taiwan have been medical workers, who top the priority list released by the CECC a month ago.-Photo: CNA

An employee at National Taiwan University Hospital receives their first coronavirus disease vaccine dose.

Taiwan reports 13 more people suffering serious vaccine side effects