Mumbai: The 26-year-old-based doctor has been positive for Covid-19 three times since June 2020, twice after he was vaccinated earlier this year, Malathhy Iyer reported.
“Confusing reinfection,” said Dr.
Shrushti Halary, whose Swab samples have been collected for genome sequencing as part of a city study on breakthrough infections (occurs after someone vaccinated).
Even though there is no clear answer for why the doctor has three times, the doctor told toi that the reason can range from the SARS2 variant to the immune level to the wrong diagnostic report (although RT-PCR is a gold standard for testing Covid-19, it has sensitivity around 70% -75%).
Reinfection among doctors has been reported throughout the world, with several studies from inside Mumbai hospitals too.
However, reinfection cannot be proven until the swab sample of two (or more) infections compared to using genetic sequencing.
On Monday, a BMC official said the latest samples were collected to check why he was infected despite vaccination.
Study – one by BMC and the other by a private hospital – was being done to see the reason for the breakthrough of the infection in collaboration with the foundation for medical research (FMR).
Dr.
Hallari, who tested the first positive on June 17, 2020, while working at the Covid BMC center in Mulund, was a positive RT-PCR on two more occasions – May 29 and July 11.
“I got mild symptoms three times,” he said.
The first time he was tested for Covid-19 years ago because a colleague was tested positively.
“I finished my post and decided to rest for postgraduate entrance tests and had been homebounded most of the time,” he said.
In July, his entire family belonged to his parents and a 21-year-old brother, tested positive.
Regarding the three positive reports of Dr.
Hallari, his doctor who took care of, Mehul Thakkar said, “It could be the case of the wrong RT-PCR report or that the second infection in May will be reactivated in July.” Dr.
Thakkar has highlighted his case to BMC health officials, which caused Swab samples collected for FMR-BMC studies.
FMR Director Dr.
Nerges Mistry said reinfection could occur for several reasons, including a person’s immune level or autoimmune condition.
“One other reason can emerge a new variant of the SARS-COV-2 virus,” he said.