SINGAPORE - News that a 33-year-old man in Hong Kong was re-infected with Covid-19 have sparked fears that people can catch the disease more than once, but infectious disease experts said this is rare and not a cause for worry, unless many more cases surface.
Professor Paul Tambyah, a senior infectious diseases consultant at the National University Hospital, said:"The likely reason he was reinfected with a different strain is that he had no detectable antibodies after the first infection - possibly because it was so mild but also possibly because of some uncommon specific immune defect."
Prof Tambyah said the first infection seems to have protected the man from a serious infection during the second exposure. It also primed him for a late antibody response when exposed to the virus again, even though it was a different strain. The HKU researchers reportedly said the reinfection case would mean those who have been infected with Covid-19 should still be offered vaccination, and comply with mask-wearing and social distancing restrictions.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
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