Unvaccinated Belgian Dies After Simultaneous Infection with Two COVID Variants

First Report of Death Case with Simultaneous Infection of UK and South Africa Variants
Fear of Variants Likely to Grow in Countries with Low Vaccination Rates

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Fear of variants is growing as it has been reported that an unvaccinated COVID-19 patient in Belgium died after being simultaneously infected with two variant viruses. This is the first reported case of a patient dying after simultaneous infection with two variants.

According to foreign media including AFP on the 11th (local time), Belgian researchers reported yesterday at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) that a 90-year-old Belgian woman who died in March was simultaneously infected with the COVID-19 Alpha variant first identified in the UK and the Beta variant first reported in South Africa. The woman, who was unvaccinated, was hospitalized due to a fall and was diagnosed with COVID-19 during examination. She reportedly died five days after hospitalization.

The research team from Belgium's OLV Hospital leading this study stated, "Both variants were widespread in Belgium at the time of the patient's death in March, and the patient was likely infected with the Alpha and Beta variant viruses from different people. However, it is unknown how this woman was infected, and it is still difficult to say for certain whether simultaneous infection with two variants contributed to the rapid deterioration of her condition."

This is the first official report worldwide of a patient dying after simultaneous infection with two variants. However, according to major foreign media, similar simultaneous infection cases have been reported in several regions. In January, Brazilian researchers revealed that two people were simultaneously infected with two different variants, although this has not yet been published in academic journals. Major foreign media also reported that a 17-year-old boy in Portugal was reportedly infected with another type of COVID-19 while recovering from the virus.

All these patients were reportedly unvaccinated, raising concerns that fear of variant spread will increase especially in countries with low vaccination rates. With the global spread of the Delta variant, first identified in India, it is expected that cases of simultaneous infection with two or more variants may increase in the future.