First COVID-19 Reinfection Case Recorded in Hong Kong
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There's still a lot scientists are figuring out about the coronavirus. As the race to create a vaccine continues, whatever information they can get, they're working with it.
A new piece of the COVID-19 virus puzzle has been added to researchers' list as a man in Hong Kong has been confirmed as reinfected with the virus, roughly four and a half months after first contracting it, as per the BBC.
He is the first known person to become reinfected with the coronavirus.
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First proven case of reinfection
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that there's no immediate need to jump to any conclusions on the basis of one patient, per the BBC's report.
Hong Kong scientists observing the patient in question have noted that the two strains of the virus are different.
The report on the matter, written by Hong Kong University scientists and shared on Twitter, explained how the man in his thirties spent 14 days in hospital when he was first diagnosed with COVID-19 where he recovered. Following this, during a screening at the airport, he tested positive once again for the virus, despite being asymptomatic.
From the #HKU report: Reinfection can occur just after a few months of recovery from the first infection. #SARS_CoV_2 may persist in the global population as is the case for other common-cold associated human coronaviruses, even if patients have acquired immunity.
— Lilian Cheng (@cwylilian) August 24, 2020
Given there have been over 23 million people globally who have been infected with COVID-19 and only one has been reinfected, experts are saying that there's no need to panic as this type of reinfection is rare and maybe not even serious.
It's still unclear how long immunity against the virus lasts after someone has recovered, or how strong it is.
Further studies on the coronavirus need to take place before being able to reach these conclusions.
Viruses are known to mutate with time, and as Brenden Wren, professor of microbial pathogenesis, at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told the BBC, "This is a very rare example of reinfection, and it should not negate the global drive to develop Covid-19 vaccines."
More similar cases need to happen and be recorded and observed before any definitive conclusions about reinfections can be reached.
Breaking News: Researchers reported the first confirmed case of coronavirus reinfection, suggesting that immunity in some people might last only a few months https://t.co/nmqcOPfAKY
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 24, 2020
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