SINGAPORE - A 72-year-old Singaporean man who received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine was hospitalised on Tuesday (Feb 16) after suffering cardiac arrest.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the patient has been admitted to the intensive care unit at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

"Based on Tan Tock Seng Hospital's initial assessment, there is no indication that the cardiac arrest was due to Covid-19 vaccination," said MOH on Thursday.

Further tests are being conducted by a medical team to establish the cause of the man's cardiac arrest.

The patient has a medical history of cancer, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia.

He was vaccinated on Tuesday morning and taken to hospital in the evening.

MOH said trained healthcare personnel had assessed the patient to be suitable for the Covid-19 vaccination.

In line with the ministry's protocols, the man was under observation on-site for about 30 minutes after the vaccination and was well.

"It is important to vaccinate and protect our seniors as they are the most vulnerable to severe disease and complications from Covid-19 infection," said MOH.

The World Health Organisation has found no evidence that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine contributes to an increased risk of death in seniors.