A discharged patient re-tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus

The female patient had tested negative five times during her stay in a quarantine facility in Gia Lai before being released on February 21 for another 14-day self-isolation at home.

However, when local epidemiologists took her nasal swab for testing, they found the woman had fallen into coronavirus relapse.

The woman was immediately transferred to the provincial field hospital together with her husband and children for medical observation and treatment.

Relevant agencies moved to cordon off and disinfected her house as well as neighbours’.

Gia Lai is one of the 13 cities and provinces in Vietnam that has reported the emergence of the virus. The locality has recorded 27 infections since the virus recurred a month ago.

Vietnam has reported several relapse cases since the coronavirus outbreak erupted more than a year ago. But reality show those who retest positive are unlikely to transmit the virus into others.  

According to the World Health Organisation, COVID-19 recoveries take longer than expected, and some patient experience what appear to be a ‘relapse’ of symptoms.

Doctors say it’s too early to really know that is causing symptom relapse, and this is one of the ongoing mysteries of COVID-19.