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Are people infectious during this time?
India
healthysoch
New Delhi, April 03, 2020 :
What do we know?
- The best current estimate of the COVID-19 incubation period is 5.1days, with 99% of individuals exhibiting symptoms within 14 days of exposure.1 Fewer than 2.5% of infected individuals show symptoms sooner than 2 days after exposure. 1
- The reported range of incubation periods is wide, with high-end estimates of 24, 2 11.3, 3 and 18days.4
- Individuals can test positive forCOVID-19 despite lacking clinicalsymptoms. 2,5-8
- Individuals can be infectious while asymptomatic, 7-10 and asymptomatic individuals can have similar amounts of virus in their nose and throat as symptomatic individuals.11
- Infectious period is unknown, but possibly up to 10-14 days. 12-14
- On average, there are approximately 415 to 7.54 days between symptom onset in successive cases of a single transmission chain.
- Most individuals are admitted to the hospital within 8-14 days of symptom onset. 16
- Patients are positive for COVID-19 via PCR for 8-37 days after symptom onset. 16
- Individuals may test positive via PCR for 5-13 days after symptom recovery and hospital discharge. 17 The ability of these individuals to infect others is unknown.
- According to the WHO, there is no evidence of re-infection with SARS-CoV-2 after recovery. 18
- Experimentally infected macaques were not capable of being reinfected after their primary infection resolved. 19
What do we need to know?
- What is the average infectious period during which individuals can transmit the disease?
- Are individuals infectious after hospital discharge and clinical recovery, or are positive PCR tests only detecting non-infectious virus?
- Can individuals become re-infected after recovery? If so, how long after?
(Source: DHS Science and Technology, Master Question List for COVID-19 (caused by SARS-CoV-2), Weekly Report, 18 March 2020)SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)
Author :Dr K K Aggarwal, President CMAAO
HealthySoch
