MANILA, Philippines — After testing positive anew for the coronavirus in a recent swab test, Senate Majority Juan Miguel Zubiri announced Tuesday that his confirmatory test result came out negative.
“I AM NEGATIVE…My confirmatory test with the Philippine Red Cross has come out and shows that I no longer have live RNA cells of [COVID-19],” he said in a message to reporters.
“What the Infectious Disease Experts have told us is that the DOH (Department of Health) result yesterday possibly detected remnants of dead virus cells which is a common occurrence with recovered patients,” he added.
On Monday, Zubiri tested positive for the coronavirus in a swab test done as a requirement for those who will physically attend President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
This, a couple of months after the senator recovered from the disease in April. He first tested positive for the virus in March.
“The PCR [polymerase chain reaction] machines of the Philippine Red Cross are state of the art and can detect live RNA and differentiate it from the dead pieces of the cells,” Zubiri went on.
He said studies from Europe, Asia and the U.S. have shown that recovered patients with antibodies are no longer infectious.
“If COVID-19 cells are discovered in their system, it is most likely remnants of the dead [COVID-19] cells which can no longer contaminate as found in extensive studies in South Korea,” he said.
“Ibig sabihin nito ay hindi na po ito nakakahawa at ligtas po ang recovered patient habang meron pa po siyang antibodies,” he added.
(This means that the cells are no longer infectious and that recovered patients are safe while antibodies are still present in their system.)
Nevertheless, Zubiri said he would still complete the prescribed period of his quarantine.
He also thanked those who offered prayers, adding that the messages of support have “uplifted my spirit and kept me emotionally, physically and spiritually strong during this new challenge of mine.”