KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) —Each day, we see the number of cases and deaths associated with COVID-19 flashed on our laptops and television screens. We hear them on the radio and we see them in print; they are virtually inescapable.
They are a cause of concern and a scorecard of the pandemic. Sadly, the deaths can be tracked and the numbers are quite accurate, but what about the cases?
Most people have not been tested, which means that the number of cases is only a reflection of those tested, and the organization of these results can be challenged.
According to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the number of Americans infected with COVID-19 is anywhere from two times higher to 13 times higher than the reported rate.
It's estimated that about 40% of people infected with the virus will develop symptoms, and the fatality rate is between five to ten people in every thousand.
