Most COVID-19 cases caused by asymptomatic individuals

This new study suggests that more than half (59 percent) of all infections can be traced back to asymptomatic and presymptomatic cases.

Approximately 35% of infections are thought to be from presymptomatic individuals or individuals who have not yet developed symptoms but are about to develop symptoms.

Nearly 24% of infections are thought to be caused by asymptomatic people who have never experienced symptoms.

Evidence shows that the virus can be cultivated for 14 days. In the meantime, the virus is well replicated and people can begin to infect the virus before symptoms appear. As a result, it may take some time for a person to develop significant symptoms, but it can still carry the virus and infect others.

“In essence, it can be too late to understand SARS-CoV-2 infection,” says Fagbuyi.

People with asymptomatic COVID-19 have long been thought to play an important role in community expansion.

However, estimates vary, with some predicting that asymptomatic individuals make up only 17% of cases, while others argue that the numbers are closer. 81 percent..

A recent estimate suggests that about 30% of people with COVID-19 do not develop symptoms and 75% may be infected with the virus compared to those with symptoms, according to this new study. It has been.

“SARS-CoV-2 takes advantage of the extraordinary rate of aerial infections and its” fly under radar “tactics to show no or just show symptoms by up to 59% too late. is. “Individual,” said Fagbuyi.

When people are intentionally ill and symptomatic, they are more likely to be isolated because they do not want to tell others about their illness, and they may feel too sick to continue their daily activities.

People who are asymptomatic may not be aware that they are infected, giving them a false sense of security and increasing their chances of getting out into the community and transmitting the virus to others.

“This is problematic because many of these infected people who feel completely’healthy’go to meetings, shops, restaurants and sporting events,” he said. Dr. Karen Jubanique, Yale University Emergency Doctor Book “Overcoming the Coronavirus: A strategy to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and deal with new normalities.”

SARS-CoV-2 is not the first virus known to spread asymptomatically and asymptomatically.

Chickenpox can easily spread a few days before symptoms appear.

Influenza also has a short window with viral shedding, so pre-symptomatic spread tends to be short-lived, but that happens, Jubanyik said.

“By the time you have a runny nose or cough, you’ve already infected someone else,” Fagbuy said.

Historically, poliovirus has been transmitted through serious asymptomatic infections.

“We have learned that polio vaccination is important in reducing the spread of the disease,” said Jubanyik.

HIV can spread before the onset, as people with HIV experience symptoms of immunosuppression many years ago.

There is no effective vaccine available against HIV, but “extensive testing of the population, including those with minimal risk factors, is considered a major initiative to prevent the spread of the virus.” Jubanyik said.

The main way to manage HIV is to identify asymptomatic individuals through extensive testing, along with safer sexual activity and safer drug injection programs.

“These are similar to COVID-19’s mask obligations and social distance recommendations,” Jubanyik said.

Infectious disease experts say that controlling infections from asymptomatic individuals requires strict safety measures such as wearing masks, physical distance, and washing hands.

Public health professionals are also urging health authorities to strengthen testing of asymptomatic and asymptomatic people.

Doing so may help identify and quarantine more people who have the virus and are spreading to the community.

“Testing for asymptomatic people at risk of spreading to others, such as those who have returned from necessary domestic and international travel, those who have returned to school, those who have come to basic training, those who need medical treatment, etc. It needs to be prioritized. / Essential workers, including workers working in surgery, stores and warehouses, “said Jubanique.

One of the unresolved asymptomatic testing problems is the high rate of false negatives. This can give false reassurance to some people who test negative.

“Even a good negative test is just a freeze frame at the moment,” Jubanyik said. There is an incubation period of 14 days, so one day it may be negative, but the next day it may be positive.

Jubanique said he might just be “in the window between infection and viral shedding.”

Extensive vaccination also helps manage asymptomatic and presymptomatic infections, Jubanique said.

However, everyone needs to remain vigilant until most of the population achieves herd immunity, which is immune to the disease.

Wear a mask, wash your hands, keep a distance, and take a test if in doubt.

New studies show that more than half of COVID-19 cases are likely due to asymptomatic individuals.

Researchers say studies show that identifying and isolating symptomatic patients is not enough to control the rapid infection of COVID-19.

Extensive testing of asymptomatic and presymptomatic individuals is also required to identify and isolate silent spreaders, which can account for the majority of community outbreaks.