It’s been described as “insidious” because many infected people are well enough to go about their daily business, unwittingly spreading it to others. The estimated median length of time between infection and the onset of symptoms is five to six days, and some of those who are infected don’t develop symptoms at all. A study of 191 patients in China found that the median duration of infectiousness was 20 days with a maximum of 37 days. A Japanese study suggested that a substantial proportion of infections are spread by people before they fall ill. This can make it difficult to identify the people they had close contact with during the time they were infectious so that they can take precautions against further spread.
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