AstraZeneca shares fall as Britain issues latest vaccine blood clot data

AstraZeneca has been at the centre of a political storm between Britain and the EU. File picture

Shares in AstraZeneca fell as the UK reported 25 new cases of rare blood clots possibly linked to the British-produced Covid-19 vaccine, while shares of its main European rival, BioNTech, climbed sharply in Frankfurt trade. 

Britain's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said that the latest reports mean that the total number of blood clot cases has risen to 30, but again said that the benefits of using the vaccine far outweighed the risks.