The Union health ministry said on Monday that the number of blood clot cases in people who received AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine (called Covishield) in India was minuscule. Covishield - one of three shots granted emergency approval in India - is the most widely used in the country and is manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute (SII).

"AEFI (Adverse Event Following Immunisation) data in India showed that there is a very miniscule but definitive risk of thromboembolic events," the health ministry said in a statement, citing a report by the National AEFI Committee.