Scientists tracking the spread of the coronavirus reported on Monday that, for every confirmed case, there are most likely another five to 10 people in the community with undetected infections. These often-milder cases are, on average, about half as infectious as confirmed ones, but are responsible for nearly 80 percent of new cases, according to the report, which was based on data from China.
The scientists said the number of undetected cases for every confirmed one could vary twofold from country to country. The unidentified cases in China that proliferated before the lockdown, although less contagious on average than the confirmed ones, did not necessarily cause milder cases in the newly infected, the researchers said. “Just because you get the disease from someone with mild symptoms does not mean yours are going to be mild,” Dr. Shaman said. “You could still end up in the I.C.U.”
你被轻症患者感染，你未必就是轻症
Scientists tracking the spread of the coronavirus reported on Monday that, for every confirmed case, there are most likely another five to 10 people in the community with undetected infections. These often-milder cases are, on average, about half as infectious as confirmed ones, but are responsible for nearly 80 percent of new cases, according to the report, which was based on data from China.
The scientists said the number of undetected cases for every confirmed one could vary twofold from country to country. The unidentified cases in China that proliferated before the lockdown, although less contagious on average than the confirmed ones, did not necessarily cause milder cases in the newly infected, the researchers said.
“Just because you get the disease from someone with mild symptoms does not mean yours are going to be mild,” Dr. Shaman said. “You could still end up in the I.C.U.”