The Department of Health (DOH) urged recovered coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients on Tuesday to still take necessary precautions to avoid contracting the virus again.
The DOH made the statement after the University of Hong Kong reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 reinfection. The 33-year-old Hong Kong resident reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 again four months after he first contracted the disease.
“The DOH and its Technical Advisory Group emphasize that no evidenced-based evaluation can be done until after details of the study are released in a peer-reviewed scientific journal,” the department said.
The DOH added that the data on the post-infection community are also lacking, citing the World Health Organization (WHO).
“We advise the public to always err on the side of caution. What we do not want to happen is for people who have been infected with COVID-19 in the past to assume they are already immune to the disease,” the department said.
The DOH added that they are closely monitoring the matter and will act on it once reliable scientific information is available.
It advised the public to always follow the minimum health standards such as using face masks, hand washing, and physical distancing. (With a report from AFP)
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