Mild or No Symptoms of COVID-19 Are Common

Compared to this spring, when the COVID-19 pandemic reached a peak in Iceland, people who these days test positive for the coronavirus do more frequently have no or mild symptoms of the disease, Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason stated at a press conference yesterday. Very many of those infected get mild symptoms, he noted.

Nine new domestic cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Iceland yesterday, according to covid.is, which has just been updated. This brings the total number active cases to 91. No one is hospitalized with the disease. Presently, a total of 746 people are in quarantine. It has not yet been reported how many of the people diagnosed yesterday were already in quarantine.

On Monday, new confirmed domestic cases numbered three, all of them in the capital area, in addition to one active case at the border. Two of the people diagnosed Monday were already in quarantine. Yesterday, Þórólfur stated there is reason to expect the number of new, confirmed cases to fluctuate in the coming days.

Research done by the University of Oxford shows that people who were infected with COVID-19 but got only mild symptoms were less likely than those with severe symptoms to test positive when tested for antibodies. Þórólfur stated that research done by deCode Genetics in Iceland has yielded similar results.

In order to meet an increased demand for testing, all health clinics in the capital area will be increasing their testing efforts in the coming days. In addition, a tent has been set up at Suðurlandsbraut 32, Reykjavík, through which people will be able to drive and be tested without leaving their vehicles. Everyone requesting a test will be required to call ahead, and while awaiting test results, people are asked to keep to themselves.

Check out all the latest COVID-19 updates on covid.is.