The recent spread of COVID-19 in China has caused a rapid increase in the number of asymptomatic infections. On April 5 alone, as many as 16,766 asymptomatic cases were reported in Shanghai.
The following Q&A sheds some light on how to deal with issues brought about by asymptomatic infections.
Do asymptomatic infections need treatment?
"Since a portion of asymptomatic infected people are in the incubation period and may also develop the disease, the management of these people requires medical staff to observe changes in their condition, identify cases in a timely manner and make adjustments to their treatment," said Wang Guiqiang, director of the Infectious Disease Department of Peking University First Hospital.
On March 22, the State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism issued a guideline for the management of mobile cabin hospitals, which clarifies their responsibility of admitting asymptomatic and mild cases. A certain proportion of medical personnel, medical testing equipment, resuscitation drugs and oxygen are required for these hospitals to ensure basic condition monitoring and treatment, as well as timely referral.
Do asymptomatic infections need medication?
"For asymptomatic key populations, such as the elderly, those suffering from underlying diseases, as well as the frail, the obese and heavy smokers, their conditions might take a sharp turn for the worse and thus need extra attention," said Zhang Boli, a famous Chinese epidemiologist, adding that for asymptomatic infections, early intervention with Traditional Chinese Medicine can, first, protect them from any symptom; and second, shorten the nucleic acid negative conversion time.
With the large number of asymptomatic infections, how can these patients be most effectively admitted and treated?
Centralized management of asymptomatic infections is, on the one hand, to avoid the further spread of the virus through isolation. On the other hand, it is convenient for medical observation, so that patients at high risk of progression could be promptly detected and referred to designated hospitals for further diagnosis and treatment.
Jiao Yahui, director of the bureau of medical administration at the National Health Commission, said that the mobile cabin hospital model for the treatment of asymptomatic infected people around the country, is very effective and in line with the regulations and requirements.
It is reported that the State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism has requested all provinces to build or come up with a plan to build mobile cabin hospitals according to the pandemic situation, ensuring that each province has at least two to three of these structures, which can be built and put into operation within two days when required. The already built mobile cabin hospitals have played a constructive role in the response to the pandemic, such as the rapid treatment of asymptomatic and mild cases, effectively relieving the pressure on local medical resources.