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- A Cape Town doctor tested positive for Covid-19 twice in three months.
- She is urging South Africans to help avoid an anticipated second wave of Covid-19.
- More than 300 deaths have been recorded among health workers in the public and private sectors.
“We are not safe from the clutches of SARS-CoV-2,” said Dr. Davinia Masimila, who tested positive twice: once in June and a second, after recovering, in September.
However, it has not been confirmed whether he had a true reinfection, even though he had a positive test result and was experiencing symptoms of Covid-19.
Masimila told News24 that she was admitted to the hospital for Covid-19 treatment in June after experiencing severe chest pains and shortness of breath. He recovered, but in September he presented symptoms again.
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“More than three months after my initial infection, I experienced unusual tiredness and severe headaches. Then I had an itchy sensation in my throat and then I got dizzy and developed diarrhea.”
He double-checked whether the symptoms he experienced the second time could be related to Covid-19.
“I also contacted an infectious disease colleague regarding my symptoms and whether a second swab was warranted. My colleague suggested a new test for SARS-CoV-2 as she had symptoms suggestive of Covid-19 and more than 90 had passed. days from my initial infection, but we also knew that other common viral infections should also be considered. “
Masimila said the concern was that immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is still unknown and, while you may have antibodies, he was not entirely sure if you are fully protected from a second infection.
“Unfortunately, we still have limited information on Covid-19, but with ongoing research and data, we will eventually have answers to all of our questions about this virus.”
Professor Wolfgang Preiser, a virologist at Stellenbosch University, told News24 that there were unsubstantiated reports of people repeatedly testing positive early in the pandemic.
“However, we soon learned that it is quite common for the viral genome (RNA) to remain detectable for several weeks after the onset of symptoms, which explains these early reports.”
This phenomenon, he said, did not mean reinfection, nor did it mean that the patient remained contagious.
“It is known as ‘residual shedding’ of viral RNA which is detected by PCR (the polymerase chain reaction test, which is the gold standard test used) because they are very sensitive, which means that it is able to detect even small amounts of viral genome. However, it can cause confusion, as people need to find out what it means in a particular case. “
Studying genetic material
Professor Burtram Fielding, a molecular biologist at the University of the Western Cape, explained to News24 what a presumed true reinfection is.
“Typically a reinfection would indicate that a person was infected, the virus was cleared from the body by the person’s immune system, and then at a later stage, the person is re-infected with another SARS-Cov-2.”
These two SARS-CoV-2 viruses will be genetically slightly different, he said.
“Since they are different, the immune system is not as effective in preventing the new infection or in clearing the virus, and the person can develop Covid-19 again.”
Checking for reinfection
South Africa was also guided by international discussions to help standardize investigations to confirm whether someone had been infected twice, according to Dr. Anne von Gottberg, a clinical microbiologist who is director of the Center for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis at the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases. . Communicable Diseases and associate professor at Wits University School of Pathology.
Five weeks in the hospital. Three cardiac arrests. Two weeks in a coma. A vicious virus This was the experience of Henry Alexander, who had to learn to walk again and use a knife and fork after being infected with Covid-19. | @Adiel_Ismail https://t.co/NJupmU2Ffk
– News24 (@ News24) October 23, 2020
“In summary, consent is obtained from the affected individual, careful descriptions of both episodes [are] recorded, and then all the details and samples of the first and second episode are retrieved from the relevant laboratories.
“In addition, new samples can be requested. These can then be analyzed and retested, but they can also be processed with less routine tests, such as whole genome sequencing, culture of respiratory samples or serology of blood samples,” he explained.
A plea to keep flattening the curve
Meanwhile, Masimila said she was saddened that the public had become complacent with the deadly virus.
“As a healthcare worker, I plead with all of you to continue to wear your masks and practice social distancing, especially when in public, because we need to continue to flatten the curve. We need to avoid the expected second Covid-19 wave.”
The 38-year-old worked as a general specialist and assisted with the care of pregnant women with high-risk obstetric conditions, as well as training junior staff at Tygerberg Hospital.
“As healthcare workers, we are always in contact with patients and we continually try not only to protect ourselves, but also our patients to limit the spread of the virus.”
Masimila said that she had always been aware that she could contract the virus at work or as a carrier and pass it on to loved ones.
Health worker at risk of infection
He said he made a conscious decision to change his habits, in the best way possible, at work and at home to try to avoid contracting Covid-19.
However, he added: “There is always a loophole no matter how cautious you are, but we should all do our part to try to contain the spread of the virus.”
Masimila, who usually started work at 07:30 and finished at 16:00, was also on duty or on duty at times. This meant that he worked a 24-hour shift in the emergency section of the obstetrics department where he supervised or helped with complicated cases in the delivery room or operating room.
As of September 26, 2020, more than 73,000 healthcare workers in the public and private sectors were admitted to the hospital due to Covid-19, with 308 deaths reported, according to the National Institute of Occupational Health.
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