Apr 2, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Georgia governor: Didn't know asymptomatic individuals could spread the coronavirus

Rashaan Ayesh

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp stated Wednesday that he learned within the last day that asymptomatic individuals can transfer the coronavirus.

What Kemp is saying: "Now those individuals could have been infecting people before they ever felt bad, but we didn't know that until the last 24 hours." During the press conference, Kemp said this "new" information pushed him to order a shelter-in-place order, calling it a "game-changer," AP writes.

Reality check: News reports since at least late February have warned about asymptomatic individuals transmitting the coronavirus.

"I don't think there's any question that someone who is without symptoms and carrying the virus can transmit the virus to somebody else," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, per the New York Times.
Data from China also suggests 33% of coronavirus cases were asymptomatic.

Go deeper: More states issue stay-at-home orders as coronavirus crisis escalates

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Georgia governor: Didn't know asymptomatic individuals could spread the coronavirus

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