KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) will look towards monitoring patients, who had been diagnosed with stage 4 and 5 of the coronavirus diseases (Covid-19) and then recovered, for possible long-term lung damage, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

In his press briefing today, Dr Noor Hisham stated that MOH would screen patients before they are discharged and monitor those who are most at risk in facing complications, such as those who had recovered from stage 4 and 5 of Covid-19.

Covid-19 is developed through 5 different stages, with patients who are diagnosed at level 1 and 2 will display mild symptoms or none at all.

"We now have 8,587 positive cases and we have follow-up treatments for us to see. Most of our patients are in category 1 and 2, about 85 per cent.

"What we have to observe is that category 4 and 5, If there is damage for example to the lungs, we will detect them before they are discharged by utilising scanning methods such as CT Scan or chest x-ray to see the consolidation or the complication of pneumonia, so we will monitor them.

In April, Dr Noor Hisham had urged health personnel and officials to treat patients with cough, cold, pneumonia as those are positive for Covid-19.

Dr Noor Hisham had also explained previously that Covid-19 could affect the lungs and cause pneumonia.

Earlier, Dr Noor Hisham was asked whether MOH had identified any long-term damage to the lungs for those who were diagnosed and recovered from Covid-19.

Dr Noor Hisham also stated MOH might conduct research into the response of the antibody on its efficacy towards Covid-19

"Because they were infected before, and when they are infected there is a response from the antibody.

"There are reports that say that antibody do no lost, maybe in the period of only three months, so we have to look at our research, look at our patients whether they still have the antibodies or not. So this is one of the research that we have discussed and may carry out soon,” he said.