Asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases of COVID-19 contribution to spreading the epidemic and need for targeted control strategies
10.3760/cma.j.cn112338-20200406-00517
- VernacularTitle: 新型冠状病毒肺炎无症状感染者在疫情传播中的作用与防控策略
- Author:
Zunyou WU
1
Author Information
1. National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
COVID-19;
Asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases;
Infectiousness;
Control strategy
- From:
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology
2020;41(0):E036-E036
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The asymptomatic carrier state of COVID-19 has become a topic of concern for preventing a possible epidemic rebound. This review describes and defines the COVID-19 asymptomatic carrier state and outlines methods for identifying counting and reporting these cases. The author elaborates that the asymptomatic carrier state can be further divided into asymptomatic infection and pre-symptomatic infection after extended follow-up based on the nature of disease progression. The author presents the limited available data about infectiousness of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases and their possible contributions to the overall epidemic of COVID-19 observed so far in China. Challenges of a possible second epidemic wave of COVID-19 caused by asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases are discussed and suggestions for control strategies and scientific research are provided.
