That's Really Living With the Virus!

People who become infected with Sars-CoV-2, normally have the virus in their bodies for around 10 weeks. Some patients, however, retain the virus for much longer (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/21/first-person-to-have-covid-infection-for-more-than-a-year-identified-in-uk). People with weakened immune systems have the Covid19 virus in their bodies for extended periods. Their immune weakening is a consequence of organ transplantation, HIV, cancer treatment etc. Researchers (Kings College London/ Guys and St Thomas' NHS Trust) have been studying people with long Sars-CoV-2 infections. For example, one patient caught the virus in 2020 and tested positive for it for 505 days, before dying. The researchers want to look at whether the virus evolves in the body in the case of such prolonged infections. They worry that this could be a potential source of new, problematic viral variants.