The World Health Organization (WHO) said that it is aware of re-infections with new strains of coronavirus. This was stated by the chief researcher of the organization Sumiya Swaminathan, quoted by RIA Novosti.
“We are now receiving reports of re-infections with a new strain of the virus. And there have been preliminary reports from South Africa suggesting that people who have already been ill could become infected again,” said a WHO spokesman.
Swaminathan added that they are currently conducting research on how much immunity from the virus is in those who have been ill. If a person has given the vaccine, then they generally suffer a re-infection in a mild form. It is noted that vaccination also helps to reduce the rate of transmission.
On February 11, Hans Kluge, Regional Director for Europe, said that mutations in the coronavirus would not trigger a new pandemic, but vigilance was needed.
In early February, WHO announced that a coronavirus strain detected in the UK had been identified in 86 countries. In addition, the geography of the distribution of strains identified in South Africa, Brazil and Japan has expanded. The South African type of COVID-19 as of February 8 was detected in 44 states, over the past week there were three more. The Japanese strain spread over seven days in five new states, and now there are 15 of them.