Over the course of the pandemic, the estimated number of asymptomatic cases have fluctuated between researchers. At one point, Johns Hopkins University suggested the number of cases that would be asymptomatic could be as high as 90%, a number that was corroborated by Columbia University's Mailman School. But some were predicting much lower number, with some suggesting the asymptomatic rate could be as low as 5% of cases.

New research from the Ochsner Hospital system suggests that the number in Louisiana exceeds some of the asymptomatic projections. With the research being based in the Baton Rouge capital region.

Of those who tested positive in their research, 60% were asymptomatic. The research also included antibody testing, which could have included more asymptomatic numbers.

Dr. Robert Hart told WAFB News:

“It’s here. It’s in our community. It’s going to be in our community for a while. We have to respect and understand that, to keep that minimized for all the people around, the masks and social distancing is important.”

Only 3% of those who tested positive for COVID-19 didn't have antibodies, which means they're infections. Which translates to 97% of those infected not being contagious.

The study showed another staggering pattern. According to the Ochsner research, white people are less likely to test positive for COVID than other races. In the research, just 4.2% of the white population had been infected, while 11% of the Black population had been infected, and 11.8% of the Hispanic population had been infected.

Ochsner's research also confirmed that comorbidities don't impact whether or not a person can contract COVID-19, but rather what happens when someone does catch the virus. The research actually disproved that theory altogether, because people with no comorbidities actually tested positive at a higher rate than those with comorbidities in their research.  

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