A 90-year-old woman died after being infected with both Alpha and Beta
variants of the novel coronavirus at the same time, researchers in Belgium said
on Sunday, adding that the rare phenomenon may be underestimated.

The woman lived alone under at-home nursing care and was unvaccinated. She
was admitted to OLV Hospital in the Belgian city of Aalst after a spate of
falls in March. The same day, she tested positive for COVID-19.

Her condition deteriorated rapidly and she died five days later.

It was when medical staff tested her for variants of concern that they
found that she was carrying both the Alpha and the Beta strains of the virus. The
Alpha variant originated in Britain and the Beta variant was first detected in
South Africa.  

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“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,” said molecular biologist Anne Vankeerberghen from the OLV Hospital who
led the research. “Unfortunately, we don’t know how she became infected.”

Vankeerberghen said it was difficult to say whether the co-infection played
a role in the fast deterioration of the patient.

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The research, which has not yet been submitted to a medical journal for
publication, is being presented at the European Congress of Clinical
Microbiology & Infectious Diseases.

According to Vankeerberghen, while there are no other published cases of
similar co-infections, the phenomenon is probably underestimated. This is
because of limited testing of variants of concern, she said calling for an
increased use of PCR testing.

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In January, scientists in Brazil reported two people who had been
simultaneously infected with two different strains of the coronavirus, but the
study is yet to be published.

The study of the Belgian case highlights the need for more such studies to
determine whether infection with multiple variants of concern affects the
clinical course of COVID-19, said Lawrence Young, a virologist and professor of
molecular oncology at the University of Warwick.

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Young added that it is also necessary to determine whether infection with
multiple variants of concern compromises the efficacy of vaccination in any way.