According to researchers based in the UK, over 80 per cent of people who tested positive for the novel coronavirus did not demonstrate any core symptoms of the infection.

The researchers fear that the future spread of the coronavirus could not be controlled if the silent transmission continues to grow.

Researchers at the University College London stated in their study cited in The Guardian report that 86.1 per cent of people who had coronavirus between April-June had no symptoms of the virus, as per the data collated by the Office of National Statistics Covid-19 survey.

The Guardian report further mentioned that the survey conducted by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), UK, is the only survey that conducts routinely tests of tens of thousands of people even if they do not have any symptoms of the virus.

Study authors Irene Petersen, who is also a professor of epidemiology and health informatics, said in a statement: “At the moment, the focus is on people who have symptoms, but if you are not catching all those who are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic it may be really difficult to get outbreaks down in time before they get out of control.”

Petersen believes that there is a risk of “silent transmission” by people who are unaware they are infected.

The study also noted that the three most common symptoms of the virus, namely a fever, a loss of taste or smell, or cough, only accounted for 13.9 per cent.

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