A female patient who had apparently fully recovered from COVID-19 at the end of March, has tested positive to the virus again following her release from hospital.
The incident is the first of its kind to be recorded in Greece but medical experts said on Sunday that it is not a cause for concern.
“The positive test does not necessarily mean that the patient was infected anew,” a Greek doctor speaking on Mega TV said.
Spokesman of the National Health Organisation, Sotiris Tsiodras, concurred with this view and said the positive result may be related to poor technique in taking samples.
“Positive virus detection via PCR molecular tests 2-3 weeks after someone had recovered, may be related to poor technique in taking samples,” Mr Tsiodras said.
“Based on published data from research groups abroad, the long stay of the virus material in someone who has had the disease does not appear to be equivalent to infection or transmission.”
Worth noting, however, is that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said there is no evidence yet that recovered COVID-19 patients are immune.
Greece currently has a total of 2,517 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 577 people having recovered.
