OC health care worker who died following 2nd COVID shot died of natural causes, autopsy rules

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - The cause of death for an Orange County health care worker who died days after receiving his second COVID-19 vaccine has been released.

According to an autopsy report, 60-year-old Tim Zook died of natural causes and his death isn’t linked to the vaccine.

Back in January, Zook took the second dose of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine and within hours he started experiencing abdominal pain and breathing difficulties. His health spiraled downward and he died four days later.

Family in shock after health care worker dies after receiving second shot of COVID-19 vaccine

FOX 11's Gina Silva spoke to the family of a man who died days after receiving his second dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. (January 2021)

According to the autopsy report, Zook’s cause of death was linked to hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease with severe cardiomegaly and heart failure.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: OC health care worker dies after receiving 2nd COVID-19 vaccine shot; official cause of death pending

Zook worked as an X-ray technologist at South Coast Global Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Zook's wife told FOX 11 that her husband was a proponent of the vaccine and that she does not blame any pharmaceutical company.

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Despite their tragic loss, the Zook family believes people still need to be vaccinated.

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