1,541 asymptomatic infections under medical observation in China

A total of 1,541 asymptomatic patients infected with COVID-19 have been put under medical observation in China by the end of Monday, including 205 imported cases, according to the National Health Commission Tuesday.

A previous study showed that the viral load in samples from asymptomatic infected patients is not much different from that of confirmed cases, the commission said in an online article.

Symptom-free individuals infected with COVID-19 may lead to further spreading of the disease, but the infectivity of asymptomatic cases is still unclear, the article said.

Some experts believe that without coughing or sneezing, asymptomatic infections may be less infectious, it said.