Looks like the cat is out of the bag.
Coronavirus:
Australia could have up to 500,000 secret infections
July 25, 2020 10:06am
https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/australia/coronavirus-australia-could-...Studies conducted across the country have revealed as many as half a million Aussies could be infected with coronavirus. Experts say it’s possible.
As many as 500,000 Australians could have been infected with coronavirus and not necessarily know it, according to the NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant.
It’s on the higher end of figures Dr Chant said are being studied to determine the number of people who have been exposed to the coronavirus, which an early estimate puts at between one and two per cent of the total population in Australia.
Public health authorities have been conducting serological testing to identify antibodies in people’s blood in the hopes of further understanding the virus’ presence in Australia.
RELATED: Victoria facing years cut off from rest of Australia
“That study is being undertaken at the moment and will be reported in due course,” Dr Chant said.
“But it’s an important component of our surveillance plan to actually understand how many people at particular points have been exposed,” she added.
University of South Australia epidemiologist Professor Adrian Esterman told news.com.au “it would be a surprise” if that many people had been infected, and it would mean many might have never known they had coronavirus.
“It would mean that there are an awful lot of people who have been infected, had few if any symptoms, and therefore never got on the radar,” Professor Esterman said.
“If they did pass it on, then the newly infected people might be in the same situation.”
“The ones we are finding from PCR testing (that looks for traces of the virus in the swabs), presumably are far more likely to be symptomatic and end up in hospital,” he added.