Recurrence of Positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA in a COVID-19 Patient: Two Case Reports from Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic which took a place in Wuhan, China and diffused globally required the international public health to take a coordinated international response. As other coronaviruses were described, SARS-CoV-2 was thought to be an immunizing, monophasic disease. Herein, we reported first two COVID-19 cases registered in Saudi Arabia whose nasopharyngeal swabs turned positive for SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) after recovery.Case presentation First patient who is symptomatic with recurrence of positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA occurred 115 days after the first symptomatic infection and did not develop protective immune response. Second patient who is asymptomatic during the recurrence of positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA occurred 60 days after the first symptomatic infection in an apparently immunocompetent patient.Conclusion These findings highlight the recurrence of positive SARS-CoV-2 after recovery even if SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were developed.