German researchers: "Persons who have mild or early symptoms of common cold may be able to transmit 2019-nCoV to other persons".

[Gert van der Hoek]

English Abstract of press release issued by 2 German labs and a German clinic.


Infectious nasopharyngeal viral shedding in oligosymptomatic persons infected with 2019- nCoV

Christian Drosten, Charit? – Universit?tsmedizin Berlin
Roman W?lfel, Institut f?r Mikrobiologie die Bundeswehr M?nchen
Clemens Wendtner, Munich Clinic Schwabing


The growing number of cases of 2019-nCoV infection outside China, including in Germany, raises the issue of potential transmission from persons who have mild symptoms.

he Charit? Institute of Virology as well as the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology are supporting the diagnosis of 2019-nCoV infection since the first cases occurred in Germany. Both laboratories independently monitor virus shedding in patients currently under treatment in Munich Clinic Schwabing.

During these studies it was found in several patients that infectious virus could be isolated from pharyngeal swabs in cell culture. These patients had symptoms of common cold rather than viral pneumonia. Concomintantly, both laboratories found signs of viral replication not only in the lung, but also in the pharynx and gut.

Taken together, this suggests that persons who have mild or early symptoms of common cold (sore throat, signs of sinusitis, feeling unwell without fever) may be able to transmit 2019-nCoV to other persons.

Because of the immediate relevance for infection control, the participating institutions have decided to release this information prior to completion of studies and formal scientific publication.

[etudiant]

The text just says that those people who have the nCoV infection in its initial stages, where the symptoms are those of a common cold, are spreading the virus in their secretions.

It does not say that people with the common cold can spread nCoV viruses.