CHENNAI CITY REPORTS NEW STRAINS OF REINFECTION OF COVID-19 AFTER RECOVERY

The possibility of reinfections in the case of the new novel coronavirus is vaguely supported with studies and reports. However, alarmingly, a minimum of 10 patients in Chennai city have returned to four government hospitals with the infection after week from recovering.

Doctors have said that there are no evidences to show if the infection has relapsed or are actual cases of reinfections. Private hospitals have not recorded such cases as of now. “Readmissions with Covid symptoms can be because of a reinfection or a relapse. We will know the difference only when we isolate the gene and analyse it. If the genes are different, then it is a possible reinfection. The same strain causes a relapse,” said Dr R Jayanthi, Dean at Omandurar Medical College.

Two doctors in the city were readmitted for the infection as well. One of them had tested positive for dengue and covid-19. “She had all the symptoms of dengue including body pain. We don’t know if it was a false positive for dengue. But she has been showing signs of Covid-19,” said Dr Vijaya. Speaking about another readmitted patient, at the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, Dean P Vasanthamani said, “He was asymptomatic then and tested negative a few days later. On September 1, we tested him again when he had fever, cough, and loose stools. He was positive, but has now been asymptomatic for a few days.”

However, most doctors have said that patients have only had mild symptoms the second time. Addressing the same, Dr Therani Rajan, Dean of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital said, “So far, we haven’t seen serious complications or deaths in cases of reinfection as of now.”

However, the possibility of reinfection cannot be ignored. “If proven, it may indicate that initial exposure to the virus may not result in full immunity for everyone. Moe importantly, it can provide vital clues for vaccine development. Scientists think the body needs an adaptive immune response. This means, cells that produce targeted antibodies stick to the virus and stop it. It is a cellular response where T cells attack just the cells infected with the virus,” said infectious diseases expert, DR Subramanian Swaminathan to the Times of India.