First case of COVID-19 re-infection reported in Bengaluru, 27 year-old woman tests positive again

Bengaluru has reported its first case of COVID-19 reinfection after a 27-year-old woman, who had recovered from COVID-19 in July, tested positive for the infection again.

The woman had reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 in July and was discharged after testing negative, according to Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru. However, the woman developed mild symptoms in a month and was confirmed to have been transmitted coronavirus again.

A 27-yr-old female found to be the 1st confirmed case of #COVID19 reinfection in Bengaluru. She tested positive in July & was discharged after testing negative. However, in a month she developed mild symptoms & confirmed to have transmitted COVID again: Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/aE6w0NkgaU

— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2020

According to Dr. Pratik Patil, Consultant for Infectious Diseases at Fortis Hospital said that the patient was admitted in the first week of July with COVID-19 symptoms including fever, cough and sore throat and was tested positive. She recovered well and was discharged on July 24 after a repeat test conducted on her turned out to be negative. 

After nearly a month, the woman again developed mild symptoms in the last week of August and tested positive again. As per Dr. Patil, both times the woman did not have severe disease. 

Key Details 

• The case is possibly the first reported case of COVID reinfection in Bengaluru.

• In the case of coronavirus infection normally, the COVID Immunoglobulin G antibody is tested positive after 2-3 weeks of infection.

• However, in the case of this patient, the antibody had tested negative, which means she did not develop immunity after having the infection.

• The other possibility is that the Immunoglobulin G antibodies disappeared in nearly one month leaving her susceptible for reinfection.

How do COVID-19 patients get reinfected?

COVID-19 re-infection cases mean that either antibodies may not be produced by every individual or if they do develop, they may not last long enough, therefore, allowing the virus to re-enter the body and cause the disease again.

World's first COVID-19 re-infection case

The world's first-ever confirmed COVID-19 reinfection case was reported in Hong Kong on August 24. Following this, other COVID reinfection cases were reported from Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States.

COVID-19 re-infection cases in India

Two days earlier, a doctor in Mumbai reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time after a gap of two months. Telangana health minister Eatala Rajender also reported that there were two cases of coronavirus reinfection in the state.

Should we be alarmed?

India's apex health research body, ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) had issued a presser earlier this week stating that there is "no need to be alarmed immensely" over the COVID-19 reinfection case reported in Hong Kong. At the same time, the research body maintained that it is not yet known how long the immunity lasts in case of coronavirus.