After being discharged from the hospital for over a month, Case 96, a doctor from eastern Shan State who was infected with COVID-19, tested positive again.

Although rare, Dr Zawana, deputy head of Shan State Health Department, told SHAN that there have been cases in other countries where patients have tested positive after it was assumed, they had recovered. However, he says this is the first time a case has been confirmed in Burma.

In Korea, several patients were suspected of relapsing when they tested positive after testing negative several times. Doctors later concluded that the tests were detecting fragments of dead viruses and therefore they were no longer sick or infectious to others.

In Burma, patients infected with the novel coronavirus are only released from hospital care after testing negative twice, Dr Zawana says. After that, they must be quarantined for at least seven days in a government-controlled facility. They are then ordered to self-isolate at home for an additional week.

The doctor re-tested positive on June 30 in Tachilek, the Burmese border town. Although, Case 96’s health is fine, he’s staying at Tachilek Public Hospital.  Anyone who had contact with him has been restricted from travelling.

The Ministry of Health and Sports (MoHS) did not order the retesting of Case 96, Dr Zawana says.

There have been 10 confirmed cases in Shan State. All but Case 96 were recovered.

MoHS reported there were 313 confirmed cases in Burma on July 6, while 6 died and 241 recovered.