- Coronavirus symptoms do not have to be present for a person to be contagious.
- Asymptomatic carriers can clear the virus, which means they can expel infectious particles that contain the pathogen.
- A new study revealed that an asymptomatic carrier placed in isolation in China spread the virus to objects in the room. This is proof that asymptomatic carriers can transmit COVID-19 to others.
Remember when the World Health Organization (WHO) said that asymptomatic coronavirus patients can’t transmit the virus, only to retract the statement almost immediately? Unfortunately, some people may not have received the complete and correct message. The new coronavirus is so devious that not everyone begins to show signs of infection. The body still has to deal with the disease, and a variety of studies have shown that the lungs of asymptomatic patients had damage similar to pneumonia, as well as a lower white blood cell (lymphocyte) count. But the person could feel good and continue to behave as if they were not infected. Only a PCR test would confirm the diagnosis of COVID-19, and if you don’t have any symptoms, you’re less likely to have one.
The recent surge in COVID-19 cases in various U.S. states and other countries indicates that some people are not protecting themselves properly, putting exposure to the virus at risk now that economies are reopening. It is unclear to what extent asymptomatic carriers could be part of that, but there is a new study showing that they can eliminate the virus. Traces of the virus were found on the surfaces of a hospital room where an asymptomatic patient was isolated, conclusively showing that asymptomatic people can spread the infection.
Researchers at Sichuan University in Chengdu, China studied 13 patients who had returned from abroad and were placed in isolation after testing positive. Two of them were asymptomatic. All patients occupied six negative pressure rooms in a hospital room, and the researchers studied various surfaces in their bedrooms and bathrooms during their stays.
Samples were collected from “handrails, door handles for rooms and toilets, light switches, footwash buttons, edges of sinks, sinks, and drains and drains, and […] nightstand surfaces, sheets, pillows, equipment belts on walls, floors, and air exhaust vents. “The researchers found that 44 of 112 sites tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Air samples from all the rooms were negative.
The researchers found traces of the virus in a room with an asymptomatic patient. “[In] a single room with an asymptomatic patient, four sites, including the railing, pillow, sheet, and air exhaust outlet, were positive for SARS-CoV-2, ”the researchers wrote. “This highlights that asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 can contaminate their surroundings and, therefore, that people who have direct contact with them, such as their families and health workers, may be exposed to SARS-CoV-2” .
In other words, if you can find traces of virus from asymptomatic people around you, then they are really contagious and pose a risk to anyone around you. The risk may be less than with people who develop symptoms, but it is still a risk.
The study reports that shelter hospitals may be a better option for asymptomatic patients than home isolation, to reduce the risk of transmission. This may be easier said than done in most places, especially in regions facing massive outbreaks where every hospital bed is important.
In practice, unless tested, asymptomatic people will never know they have the disease. The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to wear a face mask in the presence of others. It could prevent you from contracting an asymptomatic carrier disease and prevent it from infecting others. After all, anyone can be asymptomatic.
The full study is available from the American Society for Microbiology.
Chris Smith started writing about gadgets as a hobby, and before he knew it, he was sharing his views on technology topics with readers around the world. Every time he doesn’t write about gadgets, he unfortunately doesn’t stay away from them, even though he tries desperately. But that is not necessarily a bad thing.
.
