Paris: A 90-year-old woman in Belgium who died of COVID-19 was found infected with both the Alpha and Beta variants of the coronavirus at the same time.
The unvaccinated nonagenarian, who used to live alone and got at-home nursing care, was admitted to OLV Hospital in Belgium’s Aalst city after she tested positive for the COVID-19 infection.
Initially, her oxygen levels were good, but her condition deteriorated soon and she passed five days from the time she was admitted.
The medical staff then tested her for the presence of any variants of concern. She was found to be infected with both Alpha and Beta strains. Alpha originated in Britain while the Beta variant was first detected in South Africa.
“Both these variants were circulating in Belgium at the time, so it is likely that the lady was co-infected with different viruses from two different people,” molecular biologist Anne Vankeerberghen from the OLV Hospital who led the research was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.
“Unfortunately, we don’t know how she became infected,” the molecular biologist added.
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