Health DG: Rapid test kits from South Korea to arrive by next week

CORONAVIRUS | The Health Ministry is expecting to receive antigen rapid test kits ordered from South Korea from as early as this weekend, said Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said the order was initially expected to arrive on Friday but it could be pushed to over the weekend or next week, after the success of government-to-government negotiations aided by Wisma Putra to resolve logistic issues rising from high demand.

Upon arrival, Noor Hisham explained that the rapid test kits (above) will be used to complement existing PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests.

Both PCR and antigen tests can detect the presence of the virus itself, but samples for PCR tests have to sent to one of 43 laboratories nationwide and could take 24 hours to obtain results.

"We hope that once we get (the antigen tests), number one the advantage is that it has a fast turnaround time.

"Second is that you can do the test at the point-of-care, provided we have a biosafety cabinet.

"That's how we can use it to complement PCR tests," Noor Hisham said during the ministry's daily press conference on Covid-19 in Putrajaya.

Among others, Noor Hisham said there are plans to install a biosafety cabinet at two major airports - KLIA and KLIA2 - to conduct the tests on passengers upon arrival.

"We can get a result within 30 to 45 minutes. We can even do it for passengers on transit.

"Do a swab, wait for 30-45 minutes for the results. At one go, we can do 15 tests if we use the rapid antigen test kit," he further explained.

A biosafety cabinet (above) is an enclosed but ventilated laboratory workspace for safely working with materials contaminated with pathogens. It also prevents samples from becoming contaminated by other pathogens.

Noor Hisham said the ministry has also looked into introducing mobile biosafety cabinets that could be used in areas placed under an enhanced movement control order.

"We can have part of our mobile laboratory there, so that will complement our diagnosis by using the rapid test kit," he said.

Noor Hisham also reiterated that the ministry has taken a targeted approach towards Covid-19 testing, including on groups such as migrant workers or in areas placed under an enhanced MCO.

"Even in South Korea, they did not screen every single citizen but instead took a targeted approach to testing," he added.