Prague Med. Rep. 2021, 122, 228-232

https://doi.org/10.14712/23362936.2021.21

Testing Positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Two Countries 105 Days Apart

Tshokey Tshokey1, Jamyang Choden2, Lila Adhikari3, Binay Thapa3, Sonam Wangchuk3

1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan
2International Health Regulation, Ministry of Health, Thimphu, Bhutan
3Royal Centre for Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Thimphu, Bhutan

Received January 27, 2021
Accepted August 5, 2021

Recovered COVID-19 patients may test positive for SARS-CoV-2 for a long time from intermittent shedding of viral fragments. A 36-year-old man who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the Czech Republic and recovered tested positive again in Bhutan, 105 days beyond his first positive test. He experienced minimal symptoms and recovered without complications. Although no virological test was conducted to rule out reinfection, the repeat positive test after initial recovery likely resulted from prolonged shedding of dead viral particles than a reinfection.

References

12 live references