In UK, Nearly 86 per cent of people who tested positive for COVID-19 during lockdown did not have any of the known coronavirus symptoms such as cough, fever and loss of taste or smell, a new study revealed today.
 

The University College London (UCL) authors behind the analysis, published in ‘Clinical Epidemiology', conclude that a more widespread testing programme is therefore needed to catch “silent” transmission.

 
The researchers used data from the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey pilot study. 

The data showed 115 (0.32 per cent) people out of the total 36,061 people in the pilot study had a positive test result.
   
Focusing on those with COVID-19 specific symptoms (cough, and/or fever, and/or loss of taste/smell), there were 158 (0.43 per cent) with such symptoms on the day of the test.
 
Of the 115 with a positive result, there were 16 (13.9 per cent) reporting symptoms and in contrast, 99 (86.1 per cent) did not report any specific symptoms on the day of the test.
 
The study also includes data on people reporting a wider range of symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath. Of the sample who tested positive, 27 (23.5 per cent) were symptomatic and 88 (76.5 per cent) were asymptomatic on the day of the test.
 
The fact that so many people who tested positive were asymptomatic on the day of a positive test result calls for a change to future testing strategies. 

More widespread testing will help to capture ‘silent' transmission and potentially prevent future outbreaks, said Professor Irene Petersen, from UCL Epidemiology & Health Care.