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More than a million coronavirus infected have recovered. But to some of those who were diagnosed with the long-awaited diagnosis, the disease returned. This destroys the prevailing understanding of the mechanisms of the spread of the virus and confuses doctors
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Since the start of the pandemic, more than 1 million people diagnosed with coronavirus have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University. But in some cases, the joy was premature: every day there are reports of repeated cases of infection, writes Bloomberg. The stories of newly ill patients destroy the familiar understanding of how viral infections affect the body and how they spread, the agency said.
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The virus does not back down
Mirabai Nicholson-McKellar, a resident of the Australian state of New South Wales, thought she was close to recovering when more than a month has passed since the infection. However, shortness of breath and chest pain suddenly returned to her. The woman passed a new test, which turned out to be positive. Just three days earlier, she was allowed to quit home quarantine because Mirabai had no symptoms for 72 hours. “When will it end? I constantly think about it. Am I still contagious? How do I know that I’m not contagious? ” – Asked in a conversation with Bloomberg 35-year-old Australian.
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Daniela Alves from London found out about her infection thanks to a test for which she paid £ 200 ($ 251). Over the course of several weeks, shortness of breath, coughing and pain appeared and disappeared. Constant changes in well-being do not give reason to think about a final recovery. “I don’t know when my result will be negative,” says Alves. “Do I have to pay another £ 200 to know that I am safe for others?”
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With the return of the coronavirus, Business Insider journalist Aria Bendix also faced. According to her, a week after infection, she felt a chill and her condition worsened, but after a few days the disease barely made itself felt. Bendix suggested that she had almost recovered, but soon felt a pain in her chest. “By the 14th day of my symptoms — the period when I was supposed to stop being contagious — the pains returned,” Bendix wrote.
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What threatens re-infection
The phenomenon of false hope baffles health experts who are trying to win the battle with the mysterious pathogen that arose only five months ago. Solving this puzzle will help you understand how to create an effective vaccine against coronavirus, as well as give an idea of when states can cancel quarantine so that people return to normal life, writes Bloomberg.
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The re-infection situation is fraught with personal consequences for those who believe that they have recovered from the disease. In this case, the entire healing process turns into a difficult and frustrating test for some former patients, the agency notes.
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Research is not enough to understand why coronavirus symptoms sometimes return. It is not known for sure whether this is due to re-infection or whether the virus remains in the body for several weeks and is “reactivated”. According to Edwin J. R. van Beek, head of the Department of Clinical Radiology at the Royal Institute of Medical Research, University of Edinburgh, it’s possible that COVID-19 can cause blood clots that can lead to dangerous complications if left untreated.
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In turn, South Korean researchers believe that tests of recovered patients show false-positive results, and not re-infection, writes Bloomberg. The true reasons for such results have yet to be clarified, says Yevonne Maldonado, an epidemiologist at Stanford University School of Medicine. “What happens when people become infected and fall ill – will we consider them immune and therefore not susceptible at all? Or do they serve as potential sources of infection for other people? ” – the expert says.
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Given the deteriorating health of some people who have had coronavirus, hospitals that are already working at the limit of opportunity may face a new influx of patients, writes Bloomberg. This will be an additional burden on the health system. In addition, the mental health of those infected will come under attack, believes resuscitator Michelle Biel from Cleveland.
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