In Russia recorded infection with two strains of coronavirus simultaneously
Russian scientists recorded the world's first known case of infection with two strains of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus at once, which led to the death of the patient. This was reported by Izvestia.
Researchers have identified widespread groups of GH and GR strains in nasopharyngeal swab samples from a 90-year-old patient. In the first test, the first was 70 percent of the total number of viral particles, and in the second, only three percent, with a predominance of the GR strain. At the same time, the type of coronavirus related to GH was previously unknown.
Foreign scientists in some scientific works considered the theoretical possibility of infection with two strains of SARS-CoV-2 at the same time, but the data they cited are ambiguous, and there have been no proven cases of double infection so far. Russian researchers also ruled out the likelihood of a nosocomial infection, since the patient managed to spend only a day in the hospital before collecting the first smear.
Both viruses were found in the same cell. The influenza virus has a mechanism that prevents other viruses from entering the infected cell, but SARS-CoV apparently does not. It is speculated that this double infection could lead to more severe symptoms, but this is not yet known for sure.
