Remnants of virus possibly detected in COVID-19 recoveries who tested positive anew —DOH

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that there is no sufficient evidence yet to make conclusions on the possible reinfection of recovered COVID-19 patients.

Her statement came after two recovered COVID-19 patients in Davao tested positive for the disease anew after their 14-day home quarantine. 

According to Vergeire, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines may have only detected remnants of a dead virus in the two recovered patients who tested positive anew for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Posible po ang pangalawang beses na nagpo-positibo sila sa test ay dahil nakita o na-detect ng ating mga PCR test ang mga remnant ng patay na virus sa kanilang katawan na hindi naman po nakakahawa na,” she explained.

Vergeire said one of the patients had already been discharged after testing negative for COVID-19 again, while the other patient is still awaiting the results of the swab test.

The head of the Infection Prevention and Control Unit at the Southern Philippines Medical Center, where the two patients were admitted, earlier said it was unlikely that they were reinfected or that the coronavirus reactivated.

“Mabuti po ang kalagayan ng parehong pasyente,” Vergeire said. “Patuloy po ang pagaaral ng DOH at ng ating mga eksperto tungkol sa posibilidad ng reinfection o reactivation ng COVID-19.”

The Philippines has recorded 7,579 COVID-19 cases with 862 recoveries and 501 deaths as of Sunday afternoon. — LA, GMA News