Private hospital reports first case of coronavirus reinfection in Bengaluru

In a recent development, a woman in Bengaluru was infected with the coronavirus after recovering from an initial bout in July in what doctors claimed to be the first case showing that re-infection may occur within a few months.

The private hospital stated that the woman has no history of comorbidities and was tested coronavirus positive in the month of July after she developed mild symptoms of fever and cough. She had recovered well and was discharged successfully from the hospital after being tested negative for Covid-19.

However, after a month, she again developed mild symptoms and tested positive for the dreaded virus.

Dr Pratik Patil, Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, informed "In the first week of July, the patient was symptomatic (fever, cough and sore throat) and was tested positive. She was admitted to the hospital and recovered well. A repeat test was conducted on her, which turned out to be negative, post which she was discharged on July 24. However, nearly after a month, in the last week of August, she developed mild symptoms again and has tested positive again. Both times she did not have any severe disease. This is possibly the first reported case of Covid reinfection in Bangalore".

Commenting on the development, the doctor added, 'Usually, in case of infection, the Covid Immunoglobulin G antibody is tested positive after two to three weeks of infection. However in this patient, the antibody has tested negative, which means she did not develop immunity after infection. Another possibility is that the IgG antibodies disappeared in nearly one month, leaving her susceptible for reinfection. Reinfection cases mean that the antibodies may not be produced by every individual or if they do develop, they may not last long enough, and therefore, allowing the virus to enter the body and cause the disease again."

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