Chinese researchers have discovered that Covid-19 can persist beyond patients recovery. This now raises the concerns that Covid-19 may be a sexually transmitted disease.
A team of medical researchers based at Shangqiu Municipal Hospital conducted tests on 38 Covid-19 patients who were treated at the facility. This was done during the peak of coronavirus in China.
They found out that 16% of all those who were tested had Covid-19 in their semen. The study was reported in JAMA Network Open journal. Out of the total, 9% were those recovering from Covid-19.
This is not new, considering that a number of virus such as Zika and Ebola have been found to live in the male reproductive system.
This means that Ebola and Zika were also spread through sexual intercourse.
“Abstinence or condom use might be considered as preventive means for these patients. In addition, it is worth noting that there is a need for studies monitoring fetal development. Therefore, to avoid contact with the patient’s saliva and blood may not be enough, since the survival of SARS-CoV-2 in a recovering patient’s semen maintains the likelihood to infect others.”
