Hong Kong Researchers Say They Identified 1st Reported Instance Of Coronavirus Reinfection

Researchers in Hong Kong have identified the first reported case of coronavirus reinfection, numerous sources reported.

Researchers at the University of Hong Kong said a patient was infected with coronavirus a second time four-and-a-half months after the initial infection, Reuters reported.  

The patient was found to have contracted a different strain of the virus from the one he had initially contracted, and was asymptomatic for the second infection. 

“This case illustrates that reinfection can ocur just after a few months of recovery from the first infection,” the researchers said in a press release according to The Hill. “Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may persist in the global human population as is the case for other common-cold associated human coronaviruses, even if patients have acquired immunity via natural infection.The patient, a 33-year-old male who appeared previously healthy, was cleared of COVID-19 and discharged from a hospital in April, but tested positive the second time after returning from Spain via Britain in mid-August, Reuters reported. (RELATED: ‘Return To Normal’: Trump Releases His Second Term Agenda)

Experts say there’s no need to panic about the discovery.

“This is interesting but not alarming,” said Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, according to the Hill. 

A first case of #COVID19 reinfection from HKU, with distinct virus genome sequences in 1st and 2nd infection (142 days apart). Kudos to the scientists for this study.

This is no cause for alarm - this is a textbook example of how immunity should work.

(1/n) https://t.co/oekESn0Uhq

— Prof. Akiko Iwasaki (@VirusesImmunity) August 24, 2020

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