South Korean health officials on Friday said 91 patients tested positive for new coronavirus infection after earlier being cleared of covid-19. However, it remains unclear what is behind the trend, with epidemiological investigations still under way.
According to Reuters, nearly 7,000 South Koreans have been reported as recovered from covid-19 pandemic. Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), said that the virus may have been “reactivated” rather than the patients being re-infected.
Experts believe that those who have been infected with coronavirus and tested nagative are still at risk of being being re-infected.
Recovered coronavirus patients testing positive again is of great concern to countries that hope infected populations will develop sufficient immunity to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19.
“There are different interpretations and many variables,” said Jung Ki-suck, professor of pulmonary medicine at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital. “The government needs to come up with responses for each of these variables”.
Seperately, South Korea on Saturday said people who defy quarantine instructions will be ordered to wear tracking wristbands. The government has also asked Christians to stay home on Easter weekend.