Coronavirus Survivor from Israel Gets Re-infected with South African Mutation

Last August, Ziv Yaffe had tested positive for the coronavirus. Now, he has contracted the disease once again.

However, Yaffe revealed that now he has been infected by the South African strain, which is not as severe as the last one. He is not experiencing any symptoms instead, feels great. Moreover, he expressed happiness at not infecting anyone else. 

The 57-year-old was tested for the virus after he returned to the country from Turkey. The diagnosis revealed that he had contracted the South Asian strain. As per the reports, the patient’s condition was more severe when he had contracted the virus in August, as compared to now. He informed that though he is neither a researcher nor a doctor, the internal turmoil that he feels is much lesser than the first time around. 

Prof. Shai Efrati explained that the possible explanation for Yaffe not experiencing any symptoms with the South Asian strain could be due to the presence of antibodies from when he was first infected. The professor believes that that is the reason that the patient is protected from the severity of the disease. 

As of now, Yaffe is taking part in a study that Efrati is conducting. The latter is evaluating the immune system of patients, who have survived the virus before. 

The professor revealed that he and his team have been keeping an eye on the survivor ever since he recovered. He indicated that antibodies go down soon after recovery, however, he was unsure whether that is enough to prevent another infection.

Efrati further clarified that the presence of antibodies due to a previous infection is not enough to ensure that an individual does not get infected again. 

According to the professor, Yaffe’s is a case that can teach a lot to people all over the world. The antibodies that the patient developed back in August are protecting him from the severity of the disease. This goes to show that the antibodies created due to the original virus can provide protection against the disease, whether it is South Asian or any other strain. 

Meanwhile, due to rising coronavirus cases in the country, the government of Israel has decided to extend the currently imposed third lockdown. As per the announcements made by the relevant authorities, it will be lifted on the morning of Friday. In addition, the Knesset also passed a bill to double the fine for those violating the regulations of the novel coronavirus. 

On the other hand, the Health Ministry recently published data that revealed some good news. Currently, around 59% of Arab-Israelis aged over 60 have been given vaccinations. 18% of the people in the community have been inoculated. This resulted in around 229,000 Arab-Israelis being vaccinated. 

The Health Ministry has also established over 8-0 vaccination stations in the community, as well as more than 28 mobile stations. This has been done to ensure easy facilitation of vaccinations in the Arab-Israeli community.