Repeat virus patients have little or no infectivity’: KCDC
By Kim Bo-gyung
Published : Apr 22, 2020 - 17:08 Updated : Apr 22, 2020 - 17:15
(Yonhap)
South Korea’s health authorities said Wednesday that they believe patients who test positive for the novel coronavirus after being declared virus-free have little or no ability to infect others.
The center has completed in-depth examinations of six out of 39 relapses so far, and all six patients came out negative in virus cultivation tests, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Korea has 207 patients who have tested positive for a second time after apparently making a full recovery.
“Even though they tested positive for the virus that they showed to be negative after the virus was separated and cultivated separately has led us to believe they have little or no infectivity,” KCDC Director General Jeong Eun-kyeong said during a daily update on the novel coronavirus situation.
Reemergence of the virus rose as a point of concern with cases of patients catching the virus after being declared virus-free, coupled with health authorities warning the contagion is most likely to strike again.
Health authorities have also tested 25 survivors of the novel coronavirus and found that they had developed antibodies after being infected.
Out of 25 survivors with coronavirus-neutralizing antibodies, 12, or 48 percent, tested positive for the virus again in genetic testing, according to the KCDC.
“We speculate the duration in which the virus remains in patients’ body differs case by case, even though they have developed antibodies.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200422000768
The Brazilian slums hiring their own doctors to fight covid-19
BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1597 (Published 22 April 2020) Cite this as: BMJ 2020;369:m1597
Rodrigo de Oliveira Andrade
Author affiliations
rodrigo.oliandrade@gmail.com
In the absence of help from public authorities, the residents of one of Brazil’s largest slums are mobilising themselves to contain the spread of covid-19, writes Rodrigo de Oliveira Andrade
Like many people around the world just now, those living in the São Paulo neighbourhood of Paraisópolis are terrified of covid-19. But, with a national president in denial of the pandemic and authorities that would rather forget that the slums even exist, these residents couldn’t wait for help. So, in March 2020, together with a non-profit organisation, they decided to help themselves.
They hired a private medical service with three ambulances equipped with an intensive care unit, as well as two doctors, two nurses, drivers, and first aid workers. The medical team takes turns on 24 hour shifts to attend to people with suspected coronavirus infection, to help stop the spread.
https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1597
I dont understand what I am reading. Does this mean George Stephanapolous who just tested positive not too long ago and now thinks he is cleared because has antibodies..could still actually have it?