A small analysis of 78 COVID-19 patients in China revealed as many as 40% of patients may be asymptomatic.
COVID-19 is the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, and is at pandemic levels worldwide.
Although patients with milder, asymptomatic COVID-19 may suffer less damage to their immune systems, they may still be contagious.
However, the authors concluded the patients would be contagious for less time than those with more serious illness.
Asymptomatic patients had fewer "fluctuations" in virus testing findings over the study period than those with symptoms.
This suggests those with milder illness have more "stable" levels of virus while they're sick.
In contrast, more seriously ill patients see higher or lower amounts of the virus in their system as the disease progresses.