Coronavirus reinfections have now been recorded in three countries

Van Ranst said there was enough genetic evidence to show the woman had been infected for a second time. “There are indeed enough differences to be able to speak of a different strain, a second infection,” he told the program Terzake.

He said the patient only had mild complications, adding there are two more cases of possible reinfection now being investigated.

“It is not good news,” he said. “You hope you are out of harm’s way. Hopefully that is the case in most cases. The antibodies from the first time do not help enough to prevent the second infection.”