Recovered coronavirus patients testing positive again

About 14 percent of Chinese patients who recovered from COVID-19 better known as coronavirus are reportedly testing positive again.

According to the BBC, health officials say the patients tested positive after they were declared free of the virus.

“It is the same in Japan where a woman in her 40s tested positive for a second time after being released from hospital,” the BBC reported.

This appears to be a new trend in the outbreak which started in early January.

It also brings a sour taste to the relief felt with the 33,200 patients confirmed to have recovered from the virus.

Officials in the two countries are yet to understand the trend and are reportedly “still learning” about the virus.

The Japanese patient who has caught the virus a second time is said to be the first of such case in the Asian country.

A tour bus guide in western Japan, she tested positive after developing a sore throat and chest pains, UK Guardian quoted government officials as saying.

She first tested positive on January 29 and was discharged from hospital after recovering early February when she was confirmed negative.

A professor at New York University’s school of medicine was quoted as saying the virus could remain dormant and with minimal symptoms, and “then you can get an exacerbation if it finds its way into the lungs.” 

“I’m not certain that this is not biphasic, like anthrax,” Philip Tierno, hinting the infection might appear to go away before recurring.

The outbreak has spread rapidly globally, with over 82,000 people infected across 51 countries, leading to more than 2,800 deaths.

Nigeria had its first confirmed case on Thursday with a Italian who visited Lagos three days ago.

TheCable has listed some tips that will help keep you safe now that the infection has been reported in Nigeria.