Abstract
To mitigate the spread of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), many efforts have been made including the adoption of non-pharmaceutical measures such as hand hygiene, wearing of face mask, and social distancing. Sadly, the absence of symptoms in some SARS-CoV-2 carriers has impeded the success of these current interventions, and the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase globally. Understanding the impact and pattern of transmission by presymptomatic and asymptomatic cases is crucial to the management of the disease. We aimed to review the transmission or spread of COVID-19, to provide insight into the impact of these silent spreaders, and inform public health policymaking. A systematic review of published articles was conducted. PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were searched for articles published in the English Language from January to July 2020. A total of 20 articles were found eligible for the review based on the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. 17 articles, of which 13 were case reports, 1 serial interval report, 2 investigational reports, and 1 modeling study, provided evidence of asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission. 3 articles reported on the quantitative contribution of asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission. Evidence provided in the literature is not sufficient to elucidate the impact and relative contribution of asymptomatic and presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers on the spread of the disease. Strengthening of the current non-pharmaceutical measures or better still adoption of other innovative approaches is crucial to combating COVID-19 as far as presymptomatic and asymptomatic cases are concerned.
Highlights
Since its initial outbreak in China, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a threat to the world at large
We aimed to review the transmission or spread of COVID-19, to provide insight into the impact of these silent spreaders, and inform public health policymaking
A total of 20 articles were found eligible for the review based on the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. 17 articles, of which 13 were case reports, 1 serial interval report, 2 investigational reports, and 1 modeling study, provided evidence of asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission. 3 articles reported on the quantitative contribution of asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission
Summary
Since its initial outbreak in China, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a threat to the world at large. COVID19 is an acute infectious respiratory disease caused by the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus (SARS-CoV-2) belongs to the βcoronavirus family which harbors the Middle East. Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The number of recorded COVID-19 cases in different parts of the world continues to be on the increase despite the nonpharmaceutical measures put in place to mitigate the spread of the virus. The total confirmed cases of COVID-19 have surpassed seventeen 17 million as of July 2020, with a total of 668,910 deaths [1]. Obi & Odoh / Transmission of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) by Presymptomatic and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Carriers
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