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The risk of transmission in asymptomatic cases should not be underestimated

2022-01-03T10:36:39.858Z


The Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health originally regarded the “confirmed”, “asymptomatic” and “re-yang” cases that were positive for the new crown virus as “confirmed” cases. However, since last Saturday (January 1), the three cases have been subdivided. Department


The Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health originally regarded the “confirmed”, “asymptomatic” and “re-yang” cases that were positive for the new crown virus as “confirmed” cases. However, since last Saturday (January 1), the three cases have been subdivided.

The department stated that the arrangement was to "respond to the increase in asymptomatic infections and rejuvenation cases recorded by the center", and 29 of the 43 positive cases tested in the next two days were classified as "asymptomatic infections." However, there were no cases of "fuyang" or subsequent conversion from "asymptomatic infection" to "confirmed".


Since the classification of "asymptomatic infection" cases is consistent with that in Mainland China, the arrangement has caused criticism that it is deliberately in line with the mainland's practice, and there are even voices questioning that this is to conceal the epidemic by lowering the number of confirmed cases.

On the other hand, some experts do not fully agree with the change in the classification of cases this time. For example, the respiratory specialist Liang Zichao pointed out that the status of "asymptomatic infection" is very easy to change, and people who have no symptoms can also get onset later, so he thinks Subdividing "asymptomatic infection" cases is unnecessary.

Liang Zichao, a specialist in respiratory medicine.

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Distinguish the case in line with scientific investigation

Although the SAR government only used the term "asymptomatic" directly this year to describe a certain type of new crown case, in fact, when the Center for Health Protection announced confirmed cases in the past, the "date of onset" column of such cases would also be marked " Asymptomatic", they are also not shown in the epidemiological curve.

Since the Hong Kong government has already counted "asymptomatic infection" cases separately and excluded them when showing the overall epidemic trend, it is not strictly speaking of a temporary change of the standard as some people have said.

Moreover, according to the World Health Organization's "Household Transmission Survey Plan" on the new crown epidemic in March 2020, the degree and proportion of "asymptomatic infection" are originally the epidemiological parameters of the survey and research objects.

Until August 2021, the WHO published another "Guidelines for the Surveillance of Variant Strains of the New Coronavirus", which listed "asymptomatic infection" during the course of the disease as one of the highest priority items for investigating the characteristics of the variant virus.

Even Taiwan has distinguished cases of "asymptomatic infections" from the time the epidemic first broke out. This shows that this classification should never be over-interpreted from a political perspective.

Those who are asymptomatic still have to stand up

However, while introducing the classification of "asymptomatic infection" cases, we must also be careful not to embark on the path of allowing them to recuperate at home prematurely.

At present, many Western countries accept cases of "asymptomatic infection" at home to reduce the burden on the medical system. This trend is slowly spreading to Asia in recent months. South Korea, Singapore, India and other neighboring countries such as Hong Kong have all accepted it. This approach.

In addition, there has been considerable progress in the development of oral therapeutics, which has made some people mistakenly believe that "asymptomatic infections" can be treated safely at home.

As Professor Yuan Guoyong of the Department of Microbiology of the University of Hong Kong emphasized, Hong Kong does not allow any confirmed cases to rest at home. "Each suspected case needs to be hospitalized and isolated until repeated tests are negative or the viral load continues to be low, and then they can be allowed to leave." In contrast to Western countries, this method based on hospital isolation is the main reason for the low cases of community transmission and the prevention of paralysis of the medical system.

The infectivity of "asymptomatic infection" cases may be lower than that of confirmed cases, but there is still a certain chance of spreading the virus. Given that local medical resources are sufficient to cope with it, it is not appropriate to allow them to return to the community.

Yuan Guoyong, Chair Professor of the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong School of Medicine, wrote an article after December 28, stating that Hong Kong’s epidemic prevention must be based on anti-targets. Clearing is only defensive, and pushing up the vaccination rate is offensive. Pushing a vaccine passport is a more suitable method.

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In addition to treatment methods, close contacts of "asymptomatic infection" cases should also not be treated lightly.

The WHO's "Interim Guidance Document for Contact Tracing" has been updated many times over the past few years, and it has insisted that the date of sampling for "asymptomatic infection" testing should be regarded as the same as the date of confirmed disease in related work.

Earlier, Secretary for Food and Health Chen Zhaoshi mentioned the intention to introduce home quarantine and related supporting facilities. These measures must only be regarded as the last choice when the quarantine location is in short supply. It must not be rushed to contact "asymptomatic infections" for administrative convenience or other reasons. In order to prevent the society from underestimating the risk of its spreading.

The so-called "virus coexistence theory" is flawed. The name of the virus variants does not contain geographical names. Scientific issues should not politicize the principles and controversies of disease naming

Source: hk1

All news articles on 2022-01-03

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