Four in 10 COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic, a new study claims.
Researchers from China say a global study of almost 30 million people found “silent” cases of the virus are twice as prevalent than previous estimates.
The results show 40.5% of COVID-19 case are among people who show no symptoms at all. Rates rose among certain groups including pregnant women (54%), air and cruise travelers (53%), and care home residents or staff (48%).
“The high percentage of asymptomatic infections highlights the potential transmission risk of asymptomatic infections in communities,” corresponding author Professor Min Liu of Peking University writes in the journal JAMA Network Open.
