PATIENTS who have recovered from Covid-19 may test positive again due to virus shedding or residual remains of the virus without being infected, Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

He said this was one of two possibilities that could explain why five recovered Covid-19 patients tested positive again in a follow-up test two days later.

“One possibility is there is a possibility of re-infection. Before discharging patients, we will provide counselling on how to avoid being infected.

“(The other is) if they test a weak positive, it is virus shedding or residual virus, but they are not infected,” he told the daily press conference on Covid-19 in Putrajaya today.

The Star Online reported today that five Covid-19 patients who recovered in Sandakan and Kinabatangan still tested positive in a follow-up test two days later.

The Sabah Health Department had reported on April 18 that 19 patients in Sandakan and 16 in Kinabatangan had recovered.

However, The Star Online said the total number of recovered patients was revised yesterday, with Sandakan reporting 17 recoveries while Kinabatangan had 13.

The department’s Dr Christina Rundi said all the patients were considered to have recovered after two tests showed they tested negative for Covid-19.

Dr Noor Hisham also said there had previously been a patient who was found to have virus shedding.

He said while recovered patients have the virus antibody, there is currently no research to prove this is sufficient to protect them from being reinfected. – April 21, 2020.