
Covid-19: four fifths of cases are asymptomatic, China figures indicate - open-source-ux
https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1375
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samizdis
As the epidemiologist quoted in the article points out, the sample size is too
small to generalise - and he adds further, weighty caveats. But rates of
asymptomatic infection, and transmission, are surely crucial to establish to
inform best-practice response.

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awaythrower
Yes. We shouldn't draw firm conclusions from sketchy data, although we should
"play it safe" based on preliminary data. More creative, ethical, larger
sample-size studies on transmission modalities need to be prioritized to focus
remediation. Perhaps massive testing across the populace, symptom
characterization and measuring virion shedding as directly as possible. If we
don't know how it spreads or what kind of carriers spread it, fear and anxiety
of the unknown will only compound the situation.

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aaron695
In Iceland it's 50% so meh, this seems correct enough.

What does it mean though?

How does China not have mass deaths atm then? They have lied a lot in Wuhan,
but they can't outright hide mass kill offs.

[https://www.businessinsider.com/iceland-coronavirus-
pandemic...](https://www.businessinsider.com/iceland-coronavirus-pandemic-
approach-could-help-other-countries-2020-4)

~~~
Recurecur
"How does China not have mass deaths atm then? They have lied a lot in Wuhan,
but they can't outright hide mass kill offs."

They have almost certainly hidden mass deaths: "WUHAN COVID-19 DEATH TOLL MAY
BE IN TENS OF THOUSANDS, DATA ON CREMATIONS AND SHIPMENTS OF URNS SUGGEST"

[https://www.newsweek.com/wuhan-covid-19-death-toll-may-
tens-...](https://www.newsweek.com/wuhan-covid-19-death-toll-may-tens-
thousands-data-cremations-shipments-urns-suggest-1494914)

As the old saying goes: "The truth will out."

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tonyedgecombe
_Chinese authorities began publishing daily figures on 1 April_

Doesn't this mean they are asymptomatic so far, the results might look
different in a week.

