No evidence people who have recovered from COVID-19 are protected against reinfection — WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Saturday that there is no evidence that people who test positive for the new coronavirus are immunised and protected against reinfection. The warning suggests that the issuance of “immune passports” may promote the continued spread of the pandemic. “There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered […]
Detail of coronavirus test sample
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Saturday that there is no evidence that people who test positive for the new coronavirus are immunised and protected against reinfection.
The warning suggests that the issuance of “immune passports” may promote the continued spread of the pandemic.
“There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from #COVID19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection,” WHO said in a statement.
The virus has claimed at least 197,303 lives since its outbreak in China in December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT on Saturday.
More than 2,821,030 cases were registered in 193 countries and territories.
Of these cases, at least 766,300 are now considered recovered.
The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.
The United States has the highest number of deaths with 51,949 out of 905,333 cases.
Italy is in second place with 25,969 deaths out of 192,994 cases, followed by Spain (22,902 deaths and 223,759 cases), France (22,245 deaths and 159,828 cases and Britain with 19,506 fatalities and 143,464 cases.
China — excluding Hong Kong and Macau — has to date declared 4,632 deaths and 82,816 cases, just 12 more since Friday.
Europe has a total of 120,140 deaths and 1,344,172 cases. The United States and Canada have 54,278 deaths and 948,872 cases, Asia has 7,830 deaths and 193,796 cases, Latin America and the Caribbean have 7,416 deaths and 149,539 cases, the Middle East has 6,204 deaths and 147,530 cases, Africa has 1,330 deaths and 29,138 cases and Oceania has 105 deaths and 7,991 cases. (AFP)