Study finds asymptomatic people carry high amounts of COVID-19 virus

A new South Korean study found more evidence that people without COVID-19 symptoms can carry as much of the virus as those who have symptoms (Source: “Even Asymptomatic People Carry the Coronavirus in High Amounts,” New York Times, Aug. 6).

Of all the coronavirus’s qualities, perhaps the most surprising has been that seemingly healthy people can spread it to others. This trait has made the virus difficult to contain and continues to challenge efforts to identify and isolate infected people.

Discussions about asymptomatic spread have been dogged by confusion about people who are “pre-symptomatic” — meaning they eventually become visibly ill — versus the truly asymptomatic, who appear healthy throughout the course of their infection.

The new study, published Thursday in JAMA Internal Medicine, offers more definitive proof that people without symptoms carry just as much virus in their nose, throat and lungs as those with symptoms, and for almost as long. The study’s estimate that 30 percent of infected people never develop symptoms is in line with findings from other studies. In a television interview on Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, estimated 40 percent of COVID-19 cases were asymptomatic.

On Friday afternoon, the Ohio Department of Health reported 98,675 cases of COVID-19 (an increase of 7,516 since last Friday), 11,447 hospitalizations (an increase of 657 this week) and 3,489 deaths (163 more reported since last Friday).