Study suggests 80% of Covid-19 cases in the US went undetected in March

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

(CNN)A new study suggests that as many as 8.7 million Americans came down with coronavirus in March, but more than 80% of them were never diagnosed.

A team of researchers looked at the number of people who went to doctors or clinics with influenza-like illnesses that were never diagnosed as coronavirus, influenza or any of the other viruses that usually circulate in winter.

There was a giant spike in these cases in March, the researchers reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

"The findings support a scenario where more than 8.7 million new SARS-CoV-2 infections appeared in the U.S. during March and estimate that more than 80% of these cases remained unidentified as the outbreak rapidly spread," Justin Silverman of Penn State University, Alex Washburne of Montana State University and colleagues at Cornell University and elsewhere, wrote.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/health/undetected-coronavirus-cases-march-study/index.html?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=WIR_Science_062320&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_term=WIR_Science&bxid=5be9f8cb24c17c6adf0e5d24&cndid=25394153&esrc=bounceX&source=EDT_WIR_NEWSLETTER_0_SCIENCE_ZZ

Just the way Trump wanted it to be.

[MyMission]

1. I personally know a family of 5 who had it, and

Only one of the five, 20%, was tested and counted. That was the dad, who works for the VA. His wife, 2 sons, and his mom were all sick and not tested. That's 80%. One son and his mom tested negative for flu, the mom, over 70, had to see a pulmonologist and had a hard recovery. This was in early March. Our leaders? did a horrible job making testing available initially, didn't want an accurate count from way back.

So, from my observation back then and what I've heard about testing and reporting, I totally understand and agree with the article and your post.

There are so many folks who were/are sick but never tested and counted; or asymptomatic and not tested or counted.

My cousin, a geriatric psychologist, was exposed, quarantining, feeling ill, and his MD did not order a test. His wife got sick soon after. She is an RN and appears to have caught it from him. She was tested, positive, and when my cousin informed his MD, he said "you may as well get tested to confirm it." Cousin was feeling better by then, but did get tested, positive, and had to quarantine another 2 weeks. If his wife had not been tested, he wouldn't have gotten counted by a test. And he knows of many who probably had it and were not tested, not counted, told to self quarantine and treat symptoms, and to get in touch with the MD if symptoms get worse!

I recall hearing that from many early on in the pandemic. I wonder if the numbers are getting a bit more accurate as more testing is available.