THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus acting in an unpredictable manner? Citing recent cases, a section of public health experts have said the virus that causes Covid-19 is behaving differently. They also stress it is high time Kerala changed its prevention and control strategy that focuses primarily on symptomatic persons.
The state Health Department, meanwhile, is planning to study the genetic variability of SARS-CoV-2. It is also considering a suggestion to continue with ‘break-the-chain’ methods post-lockdown.“We can no longer say a person who tested positive for Covid-19 had symptoms like fever, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat,” a public health expert told TNIE.
“In some cases, even asymptomatic persons and those who completed quarantine have tested positive. This is an alarming situation and calls for heightened vigil and a change in strategy.”The expert said the state should give special attention to silent transmission -- which occurs when an infected person shows no symptom but passes the virus to someone else -- as it may lead to community transmission.
“There is no scarcity of people with comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, cancer and other ailments. They are also immunocompromised. Their contact with silent spreaders of SARS-CoV-2 will be catastrophic as the health system gets overwhelmed with patients needing critical care,” the expert added.
At the same time, the World Health Organization reminds that prevention and control strategies should never be focused solely on symptomatic transmission as chances of spreading remains high in pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmissions as well.
A statement from WHO reads, “The incubation period for Covid-19 on an average is 5-6 days. It can be up to 14 days. During this period, also known as the pre-symptomatic period, some infected persons can be contagious. Therefore, transmission from a pre-symptomatic case can occur before symptom onset. It is possible that people infected with Covid-19 could transmit the virus before significant symptoms develop.”
An officer with the Community Medicine Department of a government medical college said, “The key here is to continue with ‘break-the-chain’ methods like handwashing, use of facemasks and social distancing. Both symptomatic and asymptomatic persons should follow this. This will have to be promoted even after the lockdown.”
Seroprevalence study on Covid-19 proposed
A senior officer with the Directorate of Health Services said the department is having a serious look at the changing nature of the viral infectivity of SARS-CoV-2. It can be understood only with a seroprevalence study, which pertains to the number of persons in a population who test positive for a specific disease based on blood serum.
“Statewide guidelines on pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmissions might have been absent. But district units were asked to initiate appropriate steps as per the evolving situation. To understand the general scenario, a seroprevalence study has been mooted by the department with the help of the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies,” the officer said.