The Malaysian Insight

THE Health Ministry will not deploy rapid test kits to detect Covid-19 infections as their early results are not reliable, said Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.  

Currently, the ministry uses the Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) technique to determine if a patient is infected. 

“The rRT-PCR tests detect the presence of the Covid-19 virus in the patient’s body,” Dr Noor Hisham told a press conference in Putrajaya today.

The rapid test kit (RTK), which has just entered the market, is used to detect antibodies present in the body. 

“The antibodies appear in the body about five to eight days after the infection. RTK tests, which looks for antibodies, are not able to detect the virus and confirm the infection. This means that the tests cannot be used for early detection of Covid-19.”

Dr Noor Hisham urged the public against undertaking RTK tests without the advice of a medical officer as it may produce inaccurate results.  

Private PCR tests cost up to RM700, he added. 

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry hopes to reach South Korean levels of Covid-19 testing by next month, that is, to be able to test 16,000 patients within weeks.

“If we learn from the Korean experience, they are doing 20,000 tests per day. We are not that far… we can approach that in one or two weeks’ time. 

“If you can test more people who are asymptomatic, we can isolate them and treat them earlier.

“Once we lock a group down, we will continue to look into the target group. Certain groups have high risks. If we can pick them up early, that is much better.” 

Dr Noor Hisham also spoke of flattening the curve: “It means we are helping the hospital’s capacity to treat patients. If there is a sudden spike, we have to choose which patient has the privilege of ventilation.”

On whether Malaysia could approach the levels Italy is experiencing, he said it was up to “each and everyone one of you”. 

“This is why we urge the public to stay at home.”

He added, however, that the current Covid-19 death rate in the country is below the world average of 4.5%.

“(A rate of) 4.5% means 45 deaths. But we have 15 so far.” 

A total of 106 new Covid-19 infections were reported today, bringing the total number of cases in Malaysia to 1,624.

About 60% of all Covid-19 cases are related to a tabligh event held at Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling from February 27 to March 1, which saw an estimated 14,500 Malaysians and 1,500 foreigners participating. – March 24, 2020.