Local Doctor Disagrees With WHO's Claim Of Asymptomatic Spread Of COVID-19 Being Rare

The World Health Organization claims it's very rare for asymptomatic carriers to spread COVID-19.

However, doctors from around the country and locally are saying otherwise.

OU’s chief COVID officer disagreed with the WHO’s statement.

“I think that's an opinion and one that I actually don't agree with," Dr. Dale Bratzler said.

Bratzler said research and data from around the world show asymptomatic transmission is widespread.

In fact, a study from the Annals of Internal Medicine said nearly half of COVID-19 patients are silent spreaders.

"Forty to 45 patients who get infected with the virus have no symptoms,” Bratzler said.

Those no-symptom patients can transmit the virus for 14 days or longer, that incubation period is still unclear.

"Secondly, they suggested up to 30% of all news cases are spread by people who are asymptomatic,” Bratzler said.

Bratzler said Oklahoma's nursing home outbreaks also contradict the WHO's claims.

"The nursing homes have been locked down. No visitors, all the staff have been screened for symptoms and fever,” Bratzler said.

Yet, nursing homes continue to see these outbreaks and they can be catastrophic to older patients.

"I still think we need to be quite concerned about asymptomatic transmission,” Bratzler said.

Bratzler said right now in Oklahoma, we are seeing 90 new cases every day.

He said people should continue to wear masks when they are out in public even though it's not mandatory.