Izah Azahari

As the COVID-19 is a novel virus, its behaviour is still uncertain. But based on experience in China, there is not much re-infection while a small percentage of those who were infected and recovered showed presence of the virus during re-examination.

This was stated by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar during a press conference at the Ministry of Health yesterday in response to whether recovered patients could be infected for a second time and at a higher risk.

The minister added that there is a need to distinguish whether it is a residual viral load or a reinfection. It is understood from the data the patients in China were discharged and re-swabbed, it is most likely residual infection or residual viral load that has not completely gone away rather than a re-infection.

Meanwhile, speaking on disinfection or public sanitisation, the minister said the spraying of public places were discussed during the cleaning of mosques, suraus and religious halls in the country which was a priority and completed as revealed by Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman recently.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs is recom-mending hawkers to practise better hygiene in their places, and they also have physical and social distancing with the provision of boxed-slots,” said the minister.

The minister added that disinfection or sanitisation of public areas including market places, bus stations and the like will be looked into again – taking advantage of the current ban on mass gatherings.

“Logistics and how to do it best are still under discussion,” added the minister.