Estimation of true number of COVID-19 infected people in Japan using LINE questionnaire

Shin-ichiro Tanaka; Shinya Oku

As the limitation to the current method, the regression coefficient is not more than around 0.6; while the existence of correlation and the appropriateness of the method could be proved, it could not give a very precise estimation. Although the authors did not perform the detailed evaluation in terms of the accuracy of the methodology, the estimated value of twenty thousand includes the statistical error of approximately ten thousand. Despite this level of exactitude, this is the first ever paper which successfully determined the true number of the infected nationwide in Japan, the medical/social significance of this evaluation remains huge. A further investigation using the more accumulated statistical data and the continuous revision of this analysis would enhance the accuracy of this estimation method to a large extent, which will serve to determine the national/regional policy against this evolving enemy to the mankind.