Coronavirus Update: Is It Possible To Recover Then Get Infected Again?

Since its discovery in December of 2019, COVID-19 has claimed thousands of lives, surpassing the deaths caused by the SARS outbreak more than a decade ago. There are 88 countries and one cruise ship reporting confirmed coronavirus infections with more adding to the statistics with each passing day.

There are many questions about the deadly virus, but one lingering question is whether a person can be infected twice. This question came about because of one curious case in Japan.

Infected Twice

Japan is among the countries that are worst hit by COVID-19. Its health ministry reports that there are 364 cases with six deaths and 43 patients have recovered. Of those who recovered, however, there is one patient who somehow again tested positive for the virus for the second time.

The patient is a woman and a resident of Osaka, working as a tour bus operator. She first tested positive for COVID-19 in late January and was released from the hospital in the first week of February.

In the first few days of March, however, she tested positive again, raising fears that patients who recovered might get infected again with the deadly virus.

Possible Causes

According to Dr. Philip Tierno Jr., once a person is infected with the virus, such infection could remain dormant, showing only minimal symptoms. Dr. Tierno is a professor of microbiology and pathology at New York University. Dr. Tierno also said that this condition could place you in a life-threatening situation, particularly if it finds its way into the lungs.

Recovery Rate

While COVID-19 recovery rates improved in the past few weeks, the question of whether those who recovered are safe remains unanswered. To date, over 33,000 people have been given a clean bill of health. Dr. Eng Eong Ooi, a Duke-NUS Medical School professor of emerging infectious diseases in Singapore, said it is too soon to know how long people can be declared safe. He said there is insufficient medical evidence to fully ascertain whether those who have recovered can fight off the infection with greater efficacy.

Dr. Eng also revealed that inflammation, which helps in immunity development, seems to lead to a severe form of COVID-19. The professor said that forming conclusions at this time is premature as more studies are needed.

Cases of Second Infection in Other Places

The Chinese Health Ministry also reported second positive tests of infection. Because of this, the World Health Organization has advised people to always be on the lookout. Dr. David Nabarro of WHO said that the health body is encouraging the mindset of getting ready for the arrival of an infection. Everyone should be aware of the steps that need to be taken to deal with the situation.