Asymptomatic coronavirus cases rise in China

Seventy-eight new asymptomatic coronavirus cases had been identified by the end of day Sunday in China, the National Health Commission reported on Monday.

The new asymptomatic cases are up from 47 new asymptomatic cases reported on the mainland the day before.

The National Health Commission said Monday that a total of 1,047 asymptomatic cases in the country were still under medical observation.

Asymptomatic patients, who don’t present symptoms for the virus but can still carry and transmit it to others, have become a focus for China after the country’s containment measures appeared to cut the overall infection rate, Reuters reports. 

China only began reporting the number of asymptomatic cases last week.

The surge in such cases poses a risk as Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province and the city where the virus originated, prepared to let people leave the city this week after having been placed in lockdown in late January, Reuters reports.