Patient who recovered from coronavirus tests positive again

A patient in China who recovered from the coronavirus has been readmitted to hospital after testing positive while in quarantine at home.

The patient in Chengdu City, in the country’s south western Sichuan province, contracted the virus during a check-up 10 days after being discharged according to officials at the city’s public health clinical centre.

Similar cases have been reported elsewhere in China.

Health officials are putting the positive result down to a discrepancy in samples.

Patients are required to test negative for the virus twice with a least a day in between tests before they can be discharged.

Although nose and throat swabs had been used for tests before, hospitals are now required to use samples from lungs, where the virus is most likely to be detected.

Guidance from China’s National Health Commission recommends patients who are clear of the virus should monitor their health, wear masks and reduce outdoor activities to minimise the risk of contracting other viruses.

The latest figures from the World Health Organisation reveal China has reported a total of 75,567 including 2,239 deaths.

This figure includes 892 new confirmed cases and 118 deaths, a significant decline.

Outside China there are now 1,152 cases in 26 countries and eight deaths.