Not one but four tests later, Chinese man finally confirmed with coronavirus
- Tianjin railway worker identified as infected after multiple visits to hospital and twice becoming sick, health authorities say
- Patient in Germany contracts illness from contact with colleague showing no symptoms
The patient, a 55-year-old railway worker living Tianjin, a megacity next to the capital of Beijing, was identified as a potential case in mid-January because he had been in “close contact” with a number of infected patients in the city, according to the local health commission.
On January 19, the man developed a fever and, a week later, he went to hospital and was tested twice for the virus. The results were negative and he was quarantined at home.
He had fever again on January 27, but the third test the next day again indicated that he was not infected.
It was only until January 30, when he was tested again that he was confirmed as infected, making him Tianjin’s 28th case.
The health commission said that up to three tests had been required to confirm an infection in other patients.