For every
COVID-19 case reported, 10 additional infections likely went unannounced, according to best estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a call with reporters on Thursday, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said, “In the past, we didn’t really aggressively pursue diagnostics in young
asymptomatic individuals.”
Asymptomatic COVID-19 individuals are of great concern to public health officials and lawmakers due to their ability to spread the virus without knowing they're sick themselves.
Though younger, asymptomatic individuals are at lower risk of complications and death from COVID-19, they pose a risk of “unwittingly” transmitting the virus to elders and those with underlying medical conditions, Redfield said.
He said the agency will continue to do “fairly extensive” surveillance nationwide through antibody testing.
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