Coronavirus patient believed to be world’s first reinfected by South African variant is in critical condition

A man is in critical condition fighting, what scientists say, is the first case of reinfection with a concerning coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa.

More than 100 days later, he developed symptoms and tested positive yet again. Sequencing revealed several mutations characteristic of the B.1.351 variant, altering the surface spike proteins. A week later, the man’s condition worsened and he required ventilation. Scientists said the strain behind the first positive test wasn’t available for sequencing, though they noted the case occurred before the strain emerged in South Africa and months before it was detected in France.