Reported coronavirus cases in India may be tip of the iceberg, study suggests

On Monday, March 30, India witnessed the sharpest spike in coronavirus cases as 227 more people were tested positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of patients to 1251. As coronavirus scare looms up, a study conducted by researchers in Iceland has started bothering health experts in the country.

Asymptomatic coronavirus patients hold the key

Iceland is a country with a population of just 3.64 lakhs, and as of now, the total number of positive cases in the country is 1086. A recent study conducted by researchers in Iceland has shockingly suggested that nearly half of the people contracted with Covid-19 will show no symptoms.

In usual cases, fever, dry cough, throat pain, and sometimes dysentery are considered the symptoms of coronavirus infection. However, the research conducted by Iceland scientists revealed that half of the infected cases in the country did not show any of these symptoms, but upon testing, it was revealed that they were contracted with coronavirus.

Asymptomatic patients in India may go unnoticed

When compared to Iceland, India is very much different in all aspects, and the primary difference is the country's population. India's population is more than 130 crore and experts believe that asymptomatic patients in the country may lead to a community spread in the coming weeks.

Even though states like Kerala are planning to conduct rapid tests to find the maximum number of infected patients, these plans may not work effectively considering the high population density.

In India, health authorities are now screening people who recently came back to the country after a foreign trip and others who develop symptoms. However, if the study report of Iceland researchers can be believed, there could be asymptomatic Covid-19 patients in the country, and if they are not identified soon, the chances of a community spread will be elevated in the coming days.

Should India rethink the quarantine time?

Medical experts are now recommending a 14-day quarantine period for Covid-19 victims. However, a new study has shockingly revealed that coronavirus may remain in the system of affected patients for another eight days after the 14-day period.

"The most significant finding from our study is that half of the patients kept shedding the virus even after the resolution of their symptoms. More severe infections may have even longer shedding times," said Lokesh Sharma, an expert at the Yale School of medicine who is also the co-author of this study, Newsweek reports.

After analyzing this new research report, experts believe that the recommended quarantine period for Covid-19 should be at least 22 days.