Authorities: "COVID-19 can be contracted again after recovery... Always follow infection prevention measures"

COVID-19 Central Disease Control Headquarters Regular Briefing
"20s Female Confirmed Cases in March-April, Suspected First Domestic Reinfection"
Rehospitalized One Week After Discharge... Virus Lineage Different

Confirmed patients are being transferred to Seoul Medical Center in Jungnang-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Daeyeol] A woman in her 20s living in Seoul who contracted the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) last March tested positive again for COVID-19 just one week after being discharged following inpatient treatment. Although there have been hundreds of cases domestically where patients tested positive again?referred to as 're-positivity' or 're-detection'?after initially testing negative and being released from isolation post-treatment, health authorities believe this patient is a likely case of 'reinfection,' as the virus types detected during her first and second hospitalizations were different.

If confirmed as reinfection, this would be the first officially verified case in South Korea. Globally, only about five such cases have been officially confirmed, making it extremely rare. However, just as the influenza virus continuously mutates to evade the immune system, the coronavirus may exhibit a similar pattern. Authorities emphasize the importance of maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene measures at all times to prevent infectious diseases.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 21st, the patient, who was confirmed positive last March, initially showed symptoms such as cough and sputum. She received treatment for nearly a month, and after symptoms improved, underwent two PCR diagnostic tests, resulting in release from isolation and discharge. Subsequently, when cough and sputum symptoms reappeared, she was tested again, confirmed positive, and readmitted just one week after discharge. It was reported that her symptoms during the second hospitalization were milder than during the first.

Authorities stated that the virus type detected during the first hospitalization belonged to the V group clade, which was prevalent in February and March, while the virus type during the second hospitalization was the GH group, primarily identified among travelers from Europe and the Americas. The GH group has been consistently detected in various cluster outbreaks, including the May Itaewon club outbreak in Seoul and ongoing cases.

Jung Eun-kyung, Head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters

Authorities: "Antibodies May Not Have Been Fully Formed"
Re-detection Cases Numerous, Reinfection Globally Rare
Possibility of Repeated Infection Like Influenza

At a briefing that day, Director Jeong Eun-kyung stated, "It is possible that sufficient antibodies were not formed. We need to closely analyze antibody test results, clinical findings, viral genetic analysis results, and their interpretations." She added, "We will inform the public after further review with experts in clinical and viral diagnostic fields."

While health authorities currently regard this as a suspected reinfection case, confirmed reinfections have recently been reported in some countries. Authorities have identified approximately five cases reported so far in Hong Kong, Belgium, and the United States. Unlike reinfection, 705 cases of re-positivity have been reported domestically. Re-positivity or re-detection refers to cases where viral remnants without transmission capability are detected again after a patient has been released from isolation following a confirmed diagnosis. This is partly due to the sensitivity of PCR diagnostic tests, which can detect very small amounts of virus.

Director Jeong explained, "Like influenza, the virus undergoes some mutations, making reinfection somewhat possible. Since immunity does not last a lifetime, it means that viruses such as the common cold, coronavirus, and influenza can show similar immune patterns allowing repeated infections."

She added, "Even if someone was previously confirmed positive, exposure to a new virus type can lead to infection, so it is necessary to always follow infection prevention guidelines. Continuous monitoring of emerging mutations is essential to understand their clinical impact, transmissibility, pathogenicity, and whether they significantly affect the mechanisms of vaccines and treatments under development. Detailed expert analysis is required."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.