Asymptomatic Coronavirus Carriers: How Contagious Are They?
Researchers are still trying to understand why Covid-19 is deadly for some and invisible in others.
Some households may have both serious and asymptomatic cases.
Photographer: Elsa/Getty ImagesTo have any idea whether our current social distancing efforts in the United States are helping slow the spread of coronavirus, and to gauge how long we should go on this way, scientists need to know how many people have mild or asymptomatic cases of Covid-19. There could be many such people. Since their symptoms are vague and possibly non-existent, the case numbers that climb by the day aren’t what they seem. The true numbers may be much higher — or only a little higher.
Understanding the mild cases can help researches get a handle on the spread of the disease — how it’s spreading and how widespread it’s already become.