Coronavirus reinfection can take place, ICMR admits; adds 'it is a rare occurrence'

While mitting that reinfection of COVID-19 is possible, ICMR Director General Dr.Balram Bhargava on Tuesday revealed that it is a very rare occurrence. To buttress his point about reinfection, he highlighted some cases of Measles. At same time, he explained that wherever reinfection occurs, both infections are usually mild. Currently, re are 49,30,236 vel coronavirus cases in India out of which 38,59,399 patients have recovered while 80,776 fatalities have been reported. 

ICMR Director General Dr.Balram Bhargava remarked, "Reinfection is very very rare with COVID-19. But we have seen reinfections occur in case of Measles. When someone gets Measles, he is supposed to be protected all his life because it generates certain antibodies. But, we have seen reinfection in Measles as well. Similarly, we can have reinfection with COVID-19 as seen in case in Hong Kong. One point has been ted- whenever reinfection occurs, both infections have been mild, and refore, reinfection occurs."

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fears about reinfection were confirmed when a 33-year-old Chinese national contracted COVID-19 in late August, 4 and a half months after he first tested positive for vel coronavirus. reafter, a case of reinfection in Neva, USA came to fore. On August 26, Telangana recorded two reinfection cases. Recently, Fortis Hospital in Bengaluru anunced that a 27-year-old woman who h recovered from COVID-19 in July h tested positive again. With  co-morbidities, she h a mild infection on both occasions. 

COVID-19 crisis in India

With 79,292 patients recovering in last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 recovery rate soared to 78.28%. At present, recovered cases outnumber active cases by 28,69,338. About half of  9,90,061 active cases are concentrated in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Presh. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan stated that re are 14 states and Union Territories in India where total number of active cases is less than 5000.

He mentioned that country's aver positivity rate is 8.4%. Bhushan also refuted tion that re is a short of oxygen. ting that current capacity for production of oxygen is slightly more than 6,900 metric tonne, he ackwledged that problems happen owing to a lack of inventory manment at a facility-level. He urged every state to ensure proper inventory manment so that oxygen can be replenished in time. 

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