GENEVA (BLOOMBERG) - Transmission of the novel coronavirus by people who aren't showing symptoms is "very rare", the World Health Organisation (WHO) said, contradicting a widely held belief among health officials and researchers that the disease was being spread by people who weren't showing signs of illness.
"It still appears to be rare that an asymptomatic person actually transmits onward to a secondary individual," Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO's emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said at a briefing in Geneva.
She said her comment is based on detailed reports of contact tracing from various countries.
More research is needed to confirm the roles that so-called asymptomatic cases and pre-symptomatic cases play in spreading the disease.
But if proven correct, the development could have a major impact on how health officials and governments approach the battle to contain the pandemic. Uncertainty over how the virus behaves has hindered nations' efforts to reopen their battered economies.
Earlier research sparked concern that the virus would be difficult to contain because of asymptomatic transmission.
The New England Journal of Medicine, in an article dated May 28, warned that transmission of Sars-CoV-2 by seemingly healthy people is "the Achilles' heel of Covid-19 pandemic control".
Countries across the globe have been wary of relaxing social distancing guidelines and rigid travel restrictions, fearing that people without symptoms could spread the Covid-19 pathogen unchecked throughout communities.
Because identifying asymptomatic cases is so difficult, the US and other nations have struggled to implement adequate testing to gauge how widespread the disease has become.
Dr Van Kerkhove cited a number of reports from countries doing detailed contact tracing - in which asymptomatic cases and their contacts were followed - that found no evidence of secondary transmission.
She said countries should focus on following symptomatic cases.
"If we actually follow all the symptomatic cases, isolated those cases, followed the contacts and quarantined those contacts, we would drastically reduce" transmission, she said.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam warned on Tuesday (Jun 9) the city could not afford further "chaos" as it marked the first anniversary of the start of rolling mass protests.
More than a million people flooded the streets a year ago to protest a Bill by Lam's government that would have allowed people to be extradited to mainland China, where courts are controlled by the Communist Party, for trial.
Lam later withdrew the Bill but the legislation triggered widespread concern that the central government in Beijing was stifling freedoms in the global financial hub, sparking months of protests.
"All of us can see the difficulty we have been through in the past year, and due to such serious situations we have more problems to deal with," Lam said during her weekly media conference, which coincided with the anniversary.
"We need to learn from mistakes, I wish all lawmakers can learn from mistakes - that Hong Kong cannot bear such chaos."
After a relative lull in protests during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrators have returned to the streets in recent weeks and more rallies are expected.
Activists have called for people to gather at lunchtime and later on Thursday to mark the anniversary of last year's mass rally. They have also announced plans to hold a referendum on Sunday about whether to launch a city-wide strike against national security laws proposed last month.
That legislation, which authorities insist will focus on "troublemakers" who pose a threat to national security, has ratcheted tensions higher. Lam cautioned against the activists' plans to hold a strike referendum.
"Over the past year, Hong Kongers and the world have been bearing witness to the deteriorating situation in Hong Kong, with Beijing tightening its grip over the city's liberties, democracy activist Joshua Wong said in a Twitter feed.
On Monday, a Chinese official suggested that the degree of autonomy that Hong Kong would have when the post-colonial agreement on its status runs out in 2047 could depend on how the city behaves until then.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong on Tuesday (Jun 9) marks a year since anti-government protests erupted, but a resumption of city-wide unrest is unlikely as activists reel from mass arrests, coronavirus bans on public gatherings and a looming national security law.
Seven months of massive and often violent rallies kicked off on Jun 9 last year when huge crowds took to the streets to oppose a bill allowing extraditions to mainland China.
Battles between police and protesters became routine, leaving in tatters the city's reputation for stability, and a population divided.
Messaging groups used by protesters have called for people to come out in force on Tuesday evening, although locations will only be announced an hour ahead of time.
Timeline on political unrest in Hong Kong since June 2019. (AFP/John SAEKI)
The tactic is a bid to thwart police, who now move swiftly against such gatherings to enforce anti-virus restrictions.
Student groups and unions have also announced plans to canvas members over possible strike action in coming days, but Hong Kong's labour movement has limited influence.
"I don't think the passion has subsided much, but the problem is that many actions are now not allowed in the current circumstances," Leung Kai-chi, an analyst at the Chinese University, told AFP.
Beyond a withdrawal of the extradition bill, the protest movement's core demands - such as universal suffrage and an inquiry into police tactics - have been rejected by the city's leadership and Beijing.
Instead, China has unveiled plans to impose a more sweeping law - one that will bypass the city's legislature entirely - banning subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign interference.
China says an anti-subversion law will only target "a small minority" and will restore business confidence.
'ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE'
In a speech on Monday Zhang Xiaoming, the deputy head of Beijing's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, likened the law to "anti-virus software".
"Radical separatists have been mistaking the central government's restraint and forbearance for weakness and timidity," he said.
"They have gone too far".
"No person or organisation will succeed in intimidating the (Hong Kong) Government by extreme means," the city's pro-Beijing leadership said in a statement on Monday.
Opponents fear the law will bring mainland-style political oppression to a business hub supposedly guaranteed freedoms and autonomy for 50 years after its 1997 handover from Britain.
"First (Beijing) loses the hearts and minds of Hong Kong's people and then it seeks to force them to be loyal," said Kong Tsung-gan, an activist who has published three books on the protest movement.
"This is a long-term struggle, the Communist Party is upping the ante, and Hong Kong people will have to be willing to suffer and sacrifice much more than they have up to now to see their way through," Kong said.
Over the last year around 9,000 people have been arrested and more than 1,700 people charged, but by the time the deadly coronavirus hit the city in January, the protest movement was already on the back foot.
The virus has made any protest effectively illegal, with emergency laws banning gatherings of more than eight people even though local transmissions have been virtually eradicated.
Still, protests have bubbled up again since the security law plans were announced - including tens of thousands defying a ban on a Jun 4 gathering to mark the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown.
SINGAPORE: Measures, safeguards and precautions have to be put in place before travel can resume between Singapore and Malaysia, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday (Jun 8).
Mr Wong, who co-chairs the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force, was responding to media queries after Putrajaya said that talks are under way to allow Malaysians in Johor Bahru to commute to Singapore and back for work.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Wong said that negotiations with Malaysia was part of ongoing discussions with different countries.
“The same principle will apply … we will welcome these travellers. We want to see the resumption of travel, but it has to be done in a safe way. And that would mean looking at testing protocols in place on both sides,” he said.
National Development Minister Lawrence Wong speaking at the MTF COVID-19 virtual press conference on Mar 31, 2020.
He said that before such travel can resume, testing may have to be carried out, a quarantine period may have to be imposed, or a combination of both measures.
“Measures, safeguards and precautions have to be put in place to ensure the resumption of safe travel between Singapore and Malaysia, so we are discussing all these with our Malaysian counterparts, (including) exactly how many people, what kinds of protocols will be put in place and which industries (will be involved)," said Mr Wong.
However, he noted that the volume of travel would not be as high as before.
“I think we are quite clear. It is not going to be back to where we were before the circuit breaker or before COVID-19 hit us. We are not talking about large volumes of daily commuters coming in and out freely," Mr Wong said.
“We are talking about resumption of travel, but in a controlled manner and in a safe manner for both sides. That's in our mutual interest."
PUTRAJAYA SAYS IT IS READY TO ENSURE TRAVELLERS TAKE COVID-19 TESTS
Earlier in the day, Malaysian Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the special ministerial meeting on the implementation of movement control order (MCO) has agreed to allow Malaysians to travel to and fro for work between Johor Bahru and Singapore.
“We are ready to ensure that they take COVID-19 tests ... If that is the condition required by the Singaporean government, that they take swab tests, we agree,” he said.
Malaysia's Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob giving a daily briefing on Jun 8, 2020. (Photo: Bernama)
However, he said that the implementation will only start after the secretary-general of Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his Singaporean counterpart wrap up their negotiations.
“If we can, we will approve the conditions they propose, and then only Malaysian workers who commute between Johor Bahru and Singapore can resume working again. We are still waiting,” said Mr Ismail Sabri.
The senior minister said with industries in Singapore operating again, they have requested for their Malaysian employees, who are in Johor Bahru, to commute to Singapore for work. Singapore exited the "circuit breaker" on Jun 1, with most economic sectors resuming operations.
Mr Ismail Sabri added that Sultan Ibrahim Johor Foundation and two Singaporean companies Temasek and Thomson Medical Group have stepped forward to contribute two COVID-19 mobile labs and COVID-19 test kits.
Malaysia has imposed the MCO since Mar 18 to restrict domestic and international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, Singapore also entered the circuit breaker period from Apr 7 to Jun 1, which tightened border controls.
To break the infection chain, both governments mandated a 14-day quarantine for people entering the countries. These measures made it impossible for Malaysians, who reside in Johor but work in Singapore, to travel across the strait.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that the MCO will enter a “recovery phase" beginning Jun 10 until Aug 31. Under the recovery MCO, "almost all" social, educational, religious and business activities, as well as economic sectors will reopen in phases, with standard operating procedures to be adhered to.
While interstate travel is permitted, Malaysia's borders will remain closed.
