Covid-19: With low test rates, true extent of infection may be unknown

The figure of more than 200,000 confirmed coronavirus cases tells only a fraction of the story.

The lack of available tests for COVID-19 means the world is effectively fighting the pandemic blind and may not know the true extent of infection for months if not years, experts said on Thursday.

Because COVID-19 is so infectious -- roughly 2.5 times that of the common cold -- but not everyone presents symptoms, the figure of more than 200,000 confirmed cases tells only a fraction of the story.

Jerry Shaman, a diseases expert at the University of Columbia, told AFP it was "likely" that developed nations are identifying between one in five and one in 10 true infections.

Shaman said there was