[Explanation] Recently, a team from the Department of Microbiology of the University of Hong Kong confirmed that after returning to Hong Kong from Europe, a patient who had recovered from new coronary pneumonia had tested positive for the new coronavirus again. This patient is infected with the new coronavirus for the second time, the first in the world. The incident aroused widespread concern, and some media described it as "a case that made the world nervous." On August 25, Liang Zichao, chairman of the Infectious Disease Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Medical Association, said that there is no need to worry too much about the case.
[Explanation] The patient who was confirmed to be infected with the new crown virus a second time is a 33-year-old man. He was diagnosed with the new crown virus at the end of March this year. He recovered and was discharged from the hospital in mid-April. He was diagnosed again after returning to Hong Kong from a trip to Europe in early August. He was tested on admission. It is no exception that he has antibodies in his body, so it is determined that he has been infected again after recovery, rather than "fuyang". Liang Zichao said that this is just a case and will continue to be studied.
[Concurrent] Liang Zichao, Chairman of the Infectious Disease Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Medical Association
In fact, these are the first obvious examples of re-infection in the world. There are now more than 20 million confirmed cases, and we have found only one re-infection, so you don’t need to worry too much about this case.
[Explanation] Research data shows that the level of antibodies in patients diagnosed with new coronary pneumonia will gradually decline after several months of infection. Liang Zichao believes that the problems reflected in this "secondary infection" include the durability of immunity, and the time and period of vaccine protection in the future. The results need to be further studied.
[Concurrent] Liang Zichao, Chairman of the Infectious Disease Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Medical Association
The mutation rate of this new coronary pneumonia virus is slower than that of influenza. The problem is the time and probability of these re-infections reappearing. The other is whether its severity and infectiousness will change after re-emergence. In fact, from a single case Without definite comments, we have to see if other cases will appear. (In addition) Not all vaccines have permanent, 100% protection, as long as they have a certain degree of protection to reduce infections, they may play a certain role in prevention and control.
[Explanation] Liang Zichao said that the current epidemic situation in Hong Kong is still severe. He urged citizens to take personal protection, stay at home as much as possible, and cut off the chain of transmission; if they feel unwell, they should go for testing or seek medical treatment quickly to reduce the risk of transmission. On the same day, the Health Protection Center of the Department of Health of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced that there were 19 new confirmed cases, and the cumulative number of confirmed cases increased to 4,710.
Reporter Let Baokui, intern reporter Li Zhaohuai reporting from Hong Kong
Editor in charge: [Ji Xiang]