Q:What is an asymptomatic infection of the new coronavirus?
A:Asymptomatic infected persons with the new coronavirus (hereinafter referred to as asymptomatic infected persons) refer to those who have no relevant clinical symptoms, such as fever, cough, sore throat and other self-perceived or clinically identifiable symptoms and signs, but whose respiratory and other specimens have tested positive for the new coronavirus pathogen. Asymptomatic infections can be divided into two situations: one is that the infected person has a positive nucleic acid test, but after 14 days of observation during the incubation period, there are no self-perceived or clinically identifiable symptoms and signs, and is always asymptomatic; the other is that the infected person has a positive nucleic acid test, and does not have any self-perceived or clinically identifiable symptoms or signs at the time of sampling, but then some clinical manifestations appear, that is, an "asymptomatic infection" state in the incubation period.
Q: What are my country’s prevention and control requirements for asymptomatic infections of the new coronavirus?
A:In the "Pneumonia Prevention and Control Plan for New Coronavirus Infection" (Third Edition) released by the National Health Commission on January 28, asymptomatic infections of the new coronavirus were included in the prevention and control management. In the subsequent revision process, clear and specific requirements were put forward for the reporting and management of asymptomatic infections. When asymptomatic infections are found in medical and health institutions at all levels, they should report directly online within 2 hours. After receiving a report of an asymptomatic infected person, the county (district) level disease control agency will complete the case investigation within 24 hours, register the close contacts in a timely manner, and promptly submit the case investigation form or investigation report through the infectious disease reporting management information system. Asymptomatic infections should be quarantined for 14 days. In principle, those who have been quarantined for 14 days and have negative nucleic acid tests on two consecutive specimens (sampling time is at least 24 hours apart) can be released from isolation; if the nucleic acid test is still positive, they will continue to be isolated for medical observation. If clinical manifestations occur during the isolation medical observation period, they should be classified as confirmed cases in a timely manner and receive standardized treatment. Close contacts of asymptomatic infected persons must also undergo 14 days of centralized isolation and medical observation.
Q: How are asymptomatic infections detected? How many cases of asymptomatic infections have been found in my country so far?
A:At present, we mainly actively detect asymptomatic infections through the following channels: first, active testing of close contacts of new coronavirus pneumonia cases during medical observation; second, active testing during cluster epidemic investigations; third, active testing of exposed groups during the tracing of the source of infection of new coronavirus pneumonia cases; fourth, active testing of some people with travel and residence histories in areas where new coronavirus pneumonia cases continue to spread domestically and overseas.
As of 24:00 on March 30, 2020, there were 1,541 asymptomatic infections under medical observation, including 205 imported cases.
Q: Are asymptomatic infections contagious? ?
A:According to the close contact monitoring data carried out by the country and some provinces, there are secondary cases of secondary cases in close contacts of asymptomatic infected persons. Epidemiological surveys have found individual cluster epidemics caused by asymptomatic infected persons. Studies with small sample sizes have shown that the viral load in respiratory samples of asymptomatic infected persons is not much different from confirmed cases. Based on current surveillance and research, asymptomatic infected persons are contagious, but further scientific research is needed on their infectious period, intensity of contagion, and mode of transmission. Some experts believe that pathogenic nucleic acids can be detected in respiratory specimens of asymptomatic infected persons, but since there are no clinical symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, the chances of pathogens being excreted and transmitted are relatively smaller than those of confirmed cases.
Q: How to conduct risk assessment and prevention and control of asymptomatic infections?
A:Asymptomatic infections pose a risk of transmission. One is the invisibility of communication. Since asymptomatic infections do not show any obvious symptoms or signs, they are difficult to detect in the crowd, and the spread caused by them is also difficult to prevent. The second is the subjectivity of symptoms. People with mild or atypical symptoms may think that they are not infected with the new coronavirus and do not take the initiative to go to medical institutions for treatment, making it difficult to be discovered in daily diagnosis and treatment work. The third is the limitation of discovery. Due to the detection window period, it is difficult to detect all asymptomatic infections using nucleic acid testing and serological testing methods. Existing asymptomatic infections are mainly discovered through active screening of close contacts of cases, investigation of infection sources, investigation of cluster epidemics, and active testing of people in high-risk areas. There are still some asymptomatic infections that are difficult to detect.
To this end, it is necessary to focus on monitoring asymptomatic infections, increase screening efforts in a targeted manner, and expand the scope of testing to close contacts of discovered cases and asymptomatic infections, key areas and key populations. Once asymptomatic infections are discovered, they must immediately follow the "four mornings" requirements and undergo strict centralized isolation and medical observation. Close contacts must also be subject to isolation medical observation.
Because some asymptomatic infections remain asymptomatic, detection and isolation of asymptomatic infections cannot be the leading measure in actual prevention and control work. Therefore, we will continue to focus on timely detection of confirmed patients in isolation and good management of close contacts. my country's experience shows that the spread of the epidemic can be basically blocked by promptly detecting and isolating confirmed cases, and taking appropriate measures to reduce interpersonal contact.
Q: How to prevent and control asymptomatic infections in the next step?
A:First, improve the prevention and control plan. It is urgent to select a certain proportion of samples from key epidemic areas, carry out surveys of asymptomatic infections and epidemiological analysis and research, improve prevention and control measures, revise and improve prevention and control plans and diagnosis and treatment plans, scientifically respond to the infection risks posed by asymptomatic infections, and curb the possible spread of new epidemics.
The second is to increase screening and monitoring. We will increase screening efforts in a targeted manner and expand the scope of testing to close contacts of discovered cases and asymptomatic infections, key areas and key populations. Based on the actual situation of resumption of work, production and w88 casino, we will strengthen the monitoring of key cities, key groups, and key places to discover hidden dangers to the greatest extent. We will take precautions against the cross-border import and export of epidemics and conduct nucleic acid tests on all entry personnel. After asymptomatic infections are discovered, epidemiological investigations should be carried out in a timely manner to identify the source, and information should be released openly and transparently.
The third is to strengthen management and treatment. Once asymptomatic infections are discovered, they must immediately follow the "four mornings" requirements and strictly implement centralized isolation and medical management. Close contacts must also be quarantined for medical observation. If symptoms occur during isolation, they should be immediately transferred to a designated medical institution for treatment.
The fourth is to strengthen group prevention and control. Adhere to the combination of mass and expert knowledge, increase the popularization of epidemic prevention knowledge, guide the public in scientific protection, conduct extensive training, and improve the prevention and control capabilities and levels of grassroots disease control personnel, medical personnel, and community workers. From April 1, the report, outcome and management of asymptomatic infections will be announced in the epidemic report to respond to social concerns in a timely manner.
Q: How to protect yourself personally?
A:The public should strengthen their awareness of self-protection and health civilization, strengthen environmental sanitation and personal hygiene protection, and develop healthy lifestyle behaviors such as washing hands frequently, wearing masks, paying attention to hand hygiene, one-meter noodles, opening windows for ventilation, cleaning and disinfection, sharing meals, reducing going to crowded places when sick, and wearing masks scientifically. It is necessary to carry out extensive patriotic health campaigns, based on the concept of protecting one's own health and the health of others, spreading health knowledge to every family and individual, forming good hygiene habits and a civilized, healthy, green and environmentally friendly lifestyle, and improving mental health and health literacy levels. If an individual's nucleic acid test is positive, there is no need to panic. They should actively cooperate with medical and health institutions to carry out health monitoring and isolation medical observation, report symptoms such as fever and cough in time, and accept standardized diagnosis and treatment from medical institutions.
(Source: National Health Commission)
