ADVERTISEMENT

About Half of Cruise Virus Cases Asymptomatic, Study Suggests

The study adds to the growing body of research showing that a large portion of people infected with Covid-19 show no symptoms.

About Half of Cruise Virus Cases Asymptomatic, Study Suggests
A commuter, wearing a protective face mask, waits on the platform for a Milan Metro subway train in Milan, Italy. (Photographer: Alberto Bernasconi/Bloomberg)  

(Bloomberg) -- About half the people who tested positive for the coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship appeared to show no symptoms, according to an estimate published Friday.

Of the 634 confirmed cases aboard the ship off of the coast of Japan last month, 328 were reported to be asymptomatic, the review said. There were 3,063 people tested on the ship in total.

The study, published in peer-reviewed open-access medical journal Eurosurveillance, adds to the growing body of research suggesting that a significant portion of people infected with Covid-19 show no symptoms. Determining how often that occurs is crucial to better realizing its transmission potential, the authors said.

The authors conducted a statistical modeling analysis using publicly available data.

To contact the reporter on this story: Tim Loh in Munich at tloh16@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Eric Pfanner at epfanner1@bloomberg.net

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Opinion
Flight From Risk Due to Virus Recalls Panic of 2008: EM Review