In view that multiple 10-in-1 mixed samples have been tested positive in the current epidemic, which results in a relatively large number of people having to re-test on a single-sample basis, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre hereby clarifies the handling procedures for positive mixed samples as follows:
When a positive mixed sample is detected, the laboratory will immediately notify the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), whose epidemiological investigation personnel will call all the individuals in that pool and explain the situation to them. The individuals concerned must perform a rapid antigen test at home first and await ambulance transportation to the designated venue for rapid antigen test and nucleic acid test with nasopharyngeal sampling. Those tested positive in RAT self-test at home will be accorded priority for the ambulance transportation.
Depending on the retesting results (including the rapid antigen self-test, and the RAT or NAT with nasopharyngeal sampling at designated venue), the individuals concerned will be managed as follows:
Scenario 1: If anyone from the same pool retests positive, the remaining individuals can leave after yielding a negative result from the RAT conducted in the designated venue, without having to wait for the NAT result.
Scenario 2: If no positive result is detected in the repeat test, all individuals concerned must wait for the NAT result and must not leave until the result is proved negative.
After retesting, all individuals other than those tested positive are required to exercise self-health management for 7 days; in this period, their health code will turn yellow. The day on which the mixed sample test is performed is counted as Day 0, and they must undergo nucleic acid test on Days 2, 4 and 6. Yellow code holders may book for free NAT through the following link: https://app.ssm.gov.mo/mandatoryrnatestbook.
To address the quarantine demand, the quarantine station of the Community Treatment Centre located in Hall C of the Macau East Asian Games Dome has entered into operation at 6:00 am yesterday (24 June). The station is mainly used to triage risk groups including close contacts and people with common tracks, and is operating smoothly. However, as the retesting procedures may vary depending on the test result, longer waiting time may be expected. Kind understanding towards the inconvenience caused would be appreciated.