A Japanese woman was reinfected with the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) weeks after recovering from the virus.
The woman in her 40s, whose name was not revealed, was first infected by the virus in late January and was discharged from the hospital on Feb. 1 after she showing signs of recovery, according to The Hill.
The Osaka resident, who works as a tour bus guide, tested positive on Wednesday after developing chest pains and a sore throat. An official from Osaka told CNN that the woman did not attend work nor did she have any contact with anyone while she was out of the medical facility. She also wore a face mask at all times.
Research is still being conducted, but some experts worry that COVID-19 may lay dormant even after the recovery of a patient. So far, Japan only has one case of reinfection.
“Once you have the infection, it could remain dormant and with minimal symptoms, and then you can get an exacerbation if it finds its way into the lungs,” Philip Tierno Jr., a Professor of Microbiology and Pathology at NYU School of Medicine, told Reuters.
The coronavirus is believed to have originated from Wuhan, a city in the Hubei Province of China.
As of the time of writing, the number of infections is now at 83,389 and the death toll has reached 2,858, according to data from Johns Hopkins University (JHU). Meanwhile, 36,571 people have recovered from COVID-19.
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