The Ministry of Health (MOH) has discovered that most patients who have recovered from COVID-19 infection still showed positive results for the coronavirus through the rt-PCR test. 

The MOH has reasoned that this was caused by dead viruses or virus fragments (DNA).

According to the Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the recovered patients do not have symptoms, do not fall ill or spread the disease to their families although they are still tested to be positive because the many culture studies revealed that the COVID-19 coronavirus could not reproduce.

  
Photo Source: Malay Mail

Similar findings had been published in some other countries, such as in South Korea, China, Singapore and Germany.

Based on the study in China, the infectivity occurred 2.3 days before the start of symptoms, where the highest infectivity happens 0.7 day before the symptoms. The infectivity rate fell after seven days.

On the other hand, a study in Taiwan, also discovered that the patients did not transmit the disease to their closest contacts five days after being infected.

Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the investigation is in line with both of these findings that the infectious period starts two to three days before the symptoms begin, and the peak is one day before the symptoms.

  
Photo Source: Astro Awani

For symptomatic patients to be discharged, they need to have recovered from fever at least three days.

As for asymptomatic patients and those with respiratory symptoms, they need to have improved at least 14 days from the onset of the symptoms.

Photo Source: The Diplomat

The COVID-19 detection test is not needed before the patient is discharged from the infectious disease ward. 

If the patients need other medical treatment other than the COVID-19 treatment, they can be assigned to other wards. 

Source: Malay Mail
Cover Photo: Malay Mail | Astro AWANI