Asymptomatic transmission of CoVid-19 not proven [1]
Friday, April 17, 2020 - 21:09. Updated on Friday, April 17, 2020 - 21:14.
By Eleanor Gee
Tonga’s Ministry of Health trusts the World Health Organization’s (WHO) view that asymptomatic transmission of CoVID-19 has not been proven, according to the CEO of the Ministry of Health Dr Siale 'Akau'ola, who was responding to media questions on April 16.
Concerns were raised by an Australian doctor residing in Tonga of the possibility of asymptomatic cases in the country, amid the Government's decision to reopen schools and public transport this week.
There is no CoViD-19 testing equipment in Tonga to identify cases.
But Dr 'Akau'ola said that while there were a few suspected asymptomatic cases at the start [of the pandemic] in China, Hong Kong and some countries in Europe, but the World Health Organisation investigated them and found that most of were actually re-infection cases.
One was sick and had not recovered fully and the virus re-appeared again. And someone who recovered went out to the community and was exposed to it again. Dr 'Akau'ola said that is the Ministry of Health's answer to asymptomatic transmission.
"WHO retains their belief that asymptomatic transmission has not been proven. And we trust that, and now COVID-19 cases have reached over two million worldwide. I believe if there were a lot of asymptomatic cases it would have already been presented on scientific papers."
He however, recognised that the views expressed by some doctors and experts on this issue are their own point of view.
"It is okay to be brought up, this issue, to challenge us here in Tonga and we must be alert."
Dr 'Akau'ola reiterated that it is important that we remain with the evidence from WHO because this is an important issue to them. “Because if there comes a time it is proven that is true, that would change our views to this,” he said.
"But I believe it is the responsibility of the doctors to bring up these views."
No spikes
Acting Medical Superintendent Dr 'Ana 'Akau'ola also added that if there was an asymptomatic person with the virus and if he was in the community it would have transmitted to other persons and those cases would appear here at the hospital.
"To me, there is less chance or very minimal [chance] for a healthy person to go with the virus and transmit it to another healthy person and so forth. For that to happen is very minimal and I don't believe this could happen, that that person would have the symptoms.
"One of our measures for us to know that most likely Tonga has no virus is because there is no spike in cases like fever, running nose and coughing which are symptoms of COVID-19."