WHO Creates 'Confusion' About Asymptomatic Spread. Here's What We Know
This week, the matter of asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 has caused much confusion — and sparked a lively debate on Twitter.
It started Monday when the World Health Organization discussed the current understanding of asymptomatic transmission at a press conference.
("Asymptomatic" refers to people who are infected by the novel coronavirus but never develop any symptoms.)
"From the data we have it still seems to be rare that an asymptomatic actually transmits onward to a secondary individual," said Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead for WHO's health emergencies program. In other words, it seems unlikely that people who are infected by the virus but don't develop symptoms are spreading the virus to others.
The statement was reported by and led to concern among researchers that WHO
