1. What is an asymptomatic carrier?

Asymptomatic carriers refer to those who have tested positive via a nucleic acid test, but do not show clinical symptoms such as fever or fatigue. They are infected with the virus but do not develop any typical symptoms. Even they themselves are unaware of their own illness.

2. What kind of people will become asymptomatic carriers?

Based on current cases, asymptomatic carriers are mainly the close contacts of confirmed cases, especially the patients' family members.

3. Are asymptomatic carriers contagious?

At present, the major sources for transmission are patients infected with NCP. So asymptomatic carriers can be contagious as well.

4. What are the transmission routes of NCP?

Patients, whether showing symptoms or not, contract NCP mainly through respiratory droplets and contact transmission.

5. Will asymptomatic carriers become the super spreader?

Based on the current information, only a small minority of patients are asymptomatic carriers. They are mildly ill and less contagious as they carry a low viral load, thus posing little threat to others.

6. Is it necessary to put asymptomatic carriers in quarantine?

If available, close contacts of patients should all be quarantined in designated medical institutions, including asymptomatic carriers.

7. Am I an asymptomatic carrier?

You do not have to worry too much if you have no travel or residence history in Wuhan and its surrounding areas in the past fortnight, no one in your family has been diagnosed with NCP or you have no contacts with confirmed or suspected cases. Otherwise, you should report your condition promptly and be quarantined for medical diagnosis and treatment.

8. What else should we be informed of regarding asymptomatic carriers?

The proportion of patients with mild symptoms is higher in NCP patients than that in SARS or MERS. There is no definite boundary between patients with mild symptoms and asymptomatic carriers. The patients themselves may not notice the difference. Thus, a series of medical examination and diagnosis is needed before anyone is identified as an asymptomatic carrier.

9. How should you protect yourself?

You can stop the spread of the virus by staying home as much as possible, avoiding gatherings, wearing a mask when going out and washing hands frequently. These measures are also effective when you are around asymptomatic carriers. You should maintain good hygiene at home, keep furniture and tableware clean and open the windows regularly for better ventilation. Family members should avoid sharing towels with each other.

1. 什么是“無癥狀感染者”？

新型冠狀病毒的“無癥狀感染者”指的是：沒有明顯的臨床表現如發熱、乏力等，但是做病毒核酸檢測呈陽性的人。

簡單來說，就是有的人身上攜帶病毒，但是自己不發病，沒有明顯癥狀，自己也不知道自己生病了。

2. 什么人會成為“無癥狀感染者”？

目前發現的無癥狀感染者主要是病人的密切接觸者，更多發生在家庭成員中。

3.“無癥狀感染者”會傳染他人嗎？

目前所見傳染源主要是新型冠狀病毒感染的患者。

無癥狀感染者也可能成為感染源。

4. 傳播途徑是什么？

無論是有癥狀的患者還是無癥狀的患者，新型冠狀病毒目前的主要傳播途徑仍然為經呼吸道飛沫和接觸傳播。

5. “無癥狀感染者”會成為超級傳播者嗎？

從目前的情況來看，無癥狀感染者所占的比例非常低，病情相對偏輕，攜帶的病毒數量比較少，傳播能力相對較弱，傳播的危害也比較小。

6. “無癥狀感染者”需不需要隔離？

有條件的地區應該對病人的密切接觸者采取集中醫學觀察，無癥狀的感染者原則上也應該采取集中隔離觀察。

7. 我自己是不是“無癥狀感染者”？

如果在過去14天中沒有武漢及周邊地區旅行史，且身邊無家庭聚集性發病，無新型冠狀病毒肺炎確診或疑似病例密切接觸史，不需要過度擔心。

如果有上述情況，則應及時上報、及時隔離，進行相應的醫學觀察和診療。

8. 還需要特別注意什么？

和SARS和MERS相比，新型冠狀病毒肺炎輕癥病人的比例更高，而輕癥和無癥狀往往又沒有一條絕對的分界限，讓患者難以察覺。是否為無癥狀感染者，還需做一系列的醫學診斷和檢測才能得出結論。

9. 我們該如何防護自身？

少出門、不聚集、戴口罩、勤洗手等，都可以切斷新型冠狀病毒的主要傳播途徑，即使身邊存在無癥狀感染者，也可以有效預防新型冠狀病毒肺炎。

在家中也要注意衛生，如勤開窗，常通風，家庭成員不共用毛巾，保持家具、餐具清潔等。