CDC’s “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report”: Presymptomatic Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 — Singapore, January 23-March 16, 2020
Wycliffe E. Wei, senior resident at the National Public Health and Epidemiology Unit at Singapore’s National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), and colleagues examine cases of COVID-19 reported in Singapore from January 23-March 16 and find preliminary evidence that indicates the occurrence of presymptomatic transmission of the virus. The authors note, “The possibility of presymptomatic transmission increases the challenges of containment measures. Public health officials conducting contact tracing should strongly consider including a period before symptom onset to account for the possibility of presymptomatic transmission. The potential for presymptomatic transmission underscores the importance of social distancing, including the avoidance of congregate settings, to reduce COVID-19 spread” (4/1).