内容摘要：This March 2, 2021, photo shows a medical worker preparing to give a shot of AstraZeneca's COVID-19

This March 2, 2021, photo shows a medical worker preparing to give a shot of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine at a nursing home in Seoul. (Yonhap)The government will thoroughly investigate the deaths of five people who died after receiving COVID-19 vaccines and disclose its findings transparently, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Thursday.

He requested that the public have trust in the vaccination campaign led by the government. South Korea began offering vaccine shots in late February.

Two patients at long-term care hospitals in Gyeonggi Province, surrounding Seoul, died within days after being administered the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Another death was reported in Daejeon and two in North Jeolla Province. They reportedly had underlying illnesses.

Health officials said they are currently investigating the cause of the patients' deaths but have yet to determine whether they suffered side effects from the vaccines. (Yonhap)