[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: A 42-year-old man tested positive for Covid-19 after testing with a rapid antigen test kit (RTK-Ag) on February 1. He reported his case on the MySejahtera app and went into home quarantine.
Seven days later, he was tested again, this time with the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Again it tested positive.
Ten days after his first test and quarantine, he went to the Covid-19 Assessment Center (CAC) to receive a release letter, but was shocked. They refused to acknowledge their first test.
“They told him that the CAC does not accept the results of RTK-Ag, counted only the three days of quarantine of the PCR test. This extended his quarantine by seven days, bringing his quarantine period to a total of 17 days, “said Rajiv Rishyakaran, Bukit Gasing Assemblyman from DAP.
The patient, a constituent there, was confused, said Rajiv, who now wants to know why the Ministry of Health does not recognize the positive tests for Covid-19 from RTK-Ag.
“Who qualifies as ‘certified positive patients’? Is the PCR test the only acceptable test or is RTK-Ag also acceptable? “he asked today in a statement.
He questioned whether it was feasible for the ministry to rely solely on PCR results, as there have been reports of delays in processing the tests and the cost was high.
Rajiv also asked what patients treated at home should do after their quarantine period, and said that many were not sure whether they should report to the CAC or just wait for the district health office (PKD) to call them.
“Waiting for the PKD to call them is not a solution, as reports have shown that many Covid-19 positive patients were not identified, let alone contacted even after testing positive. Some were only contacted after their quarantine period. “
Earlier, Galen Center CEO Azrul Mohd Khalib had agreed that RTK-Ag tests could be used for rapid diagnosis, although confirmation must be done by PCR testing.
Studies have found that RTK-Ag has a sensitivity rate of 90%, which means that the results could be inaccurate 10% of the time, while the sensitivity rate of PCR tests is as high as 98 %.
