Dr Sim says his first test for Covid-19 came back negative

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KUCHING: Minister of Local Government and Housing Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian has disclosed that his first test for Covid-19 came back negative.

According to him, there is still the second test on the 12th or 13th day from yesterday to make sure he is completely free of the coronavirus.

“First result is negative (relieved). Pray no symptoms for the next few days so I can proceed to the second test around day 12-13.

“Only if the second result is negative then I will be able to receive Home Surveillance Order Release.

“Thank you very much to everyone for the prayers and well wishes,” he posted on his Facebook post last night.

When contacted, Dr Sim said he opted for the first test as soon as he was instructed to go for home quarantine because a fellow cardiologist at the Sarawak Heart Centre (SHC) was tested positive for the virus.

“For myself it is negative because a cardiologist in SHC was found to be IgG (Immunoglobulin G) positive,” he said when asked why he announced his first test result first.

Dr Sim explained that IgG positive means the person has antibodies in his blood from Covid-19 infection at least between four to six weeks ago.

As for the other state ministers who are being quarantined, Dr Sim said he was not sure of their first test results.

Other state ministers who are being self-quarantined are Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, and state ministers Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah and Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom following recent contact with a person later confirmed to be Covid-19 positive on Friday.

On Friday, Assistant Minister of Transport Datuk Dr Jerip Susil was tested positive for Covid-19, and had been admitted to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) on Thursday night.

Dr Jerip, who is also Mambong assemblyman, had said that he contracted the disease through contact with someone in the Good News Fellowship Conference Church cluster.

Before that, two other Sarawakian MPs from Democratic Action Party (DAP), namely Sarikei MP Andrew Wong and Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, had also tested positive for Covid-19.

Yesterday Kota Samarahan MP Rubiah Wang has been tested positive for the disease.