A FORMER minister and his deputy will be tested again for Covid-19 despite having been declared infection-free in the first round of testing.

Director-general of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah told The Malaysian Insight re-tests were not just only required for the two cases but standard procedure applied to all close contacts of Covid-19 patients.

A second test is done near the end of the 14-day quarantine period.

“Yes, they will be in home quarantine and re-tested on Day 13,” he said.

Noor Hisham was responding to a question on whether confirmed patients’ close contacts who had tested negative for the virus, such as the two former officials, would be re-tested.

Bernama reported on March 2 that the ex-minister was under quarantine at home after tests yielded negative for the Covid-19 virus.

“Screened alright, tested negative, but self-quarantined at home,” he said in a brief text reply to Bernama.

“I’m well, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God),” the Bersatu MP added.

The two ex-officials were said to be close contacts of patient no. 26, who is the chairman of UDA Holdings. The three had attended an event together on February 27.

Patient 26 is being treated at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

The Health Ministry yesterday said there were 26 cases in the new cluster linked to the patient.

As for close contacts who are asymptomatic, Dr Noor Hisham said they would be tested if they were linked to patients who had tested positive.

“Asymptomatic but a close contact with a positive patient we will investigate and test them,” he said.

As of yesterday, there were 83 cases reported in Malaysia, 23 of which have been discharged.

Worldwide, almost 100,000 people have been infected while the death toll stands at more than 3,300. – March 7, 2020.