[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] As cases of re-positive COVID-19 diagnoses after being declared recovered continue to emerge, an analysis has found that younger age and milder symptoms are associated with a higher likelihood of re-testing positive.
According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 10th, as of midnight the previous day, there were 74 cases of patients testing positive again after being released from isolation. This accounts for 1.1% of the 6,973 people who had been declared recovered. At the Pureun Nursing Home in Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongbuk, 18 people have so far tested positive again after recovery. Re-positive cases after recovery have also been confirmed in Seoul, Daejeon, and Cheongju.
In China, where many re-positive cases have occurred, research results indicate that younger age and milder symptoms increase the likelihood of testing positive again after recovery. According to a paper published by Chinese medical staff at the end of last month, among 262 confirmed patients hospitalized in a hospital in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 38 tested positive again after discharge.
Among these 38 patients, those aged 14 and under were the largest group with 7 individuals. The researchers explained, "By age group, the proportion of those 14 and under is the highest," adding, "In contrast, only one patient was aged 60 or older." In South Korea, re-positive cases have been reported across various age groups, but the highest proportion was in people in their 20s. Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, stated, "In South Korea, re-positive patients are most common in their 20s, followed by those in their 50s and 60s."
Re-positive patients were also mostly mild cases. The researchers noted, "They were classified as mild cases when they first tested positive." At the time of re-testing positive after release from isolation, they were asymptomatic or showed milder symptoms than before. None of the re-positive patients exhibited fever symptoms, and some showed mild symptoms such as coughing. None of these patients showed severe symptoms after discharge.
Domestic re-positive cases show similar patterns. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, patients who tested positive again in South Korea were either asymptomatic or showed respiratory symptoms. There have been no cases leading to severe illness. However, there was a case in Gyeongbuk where an 80-year-old patient died nine days after being declared recovered.
China requires patients released from isolation to undergo an additional two weeks of self-quarantine. South Korean health authorities are also considering management measures as re-positive cases increase. Head Jung said, "We believe our testing accuracy is higher than China's, so we will create guidelines based on our investigation results."
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