April 9, 2020

PCR Assays Turned Positive in 25 Discharged COVID-19 Patients

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Clinical Characteristics and Health Care Setting

• Yuan et al report on the laboratory and clinical characteristics of 25 patients in China who met hospital criteria for discharge, yet remained carriers of SARS-CoV-2 after recovery from COVID-19. They suggest that two negative RT-PCR tests 24 hours apart may not be sufficient for viral clearance evaluation, and recommend repeating RT-PCR testing at least 48 hours after the first test and recommend holding patients longer to ensure the virus is cleared.

Yuan et al. (April 8, 2020). PCR Assays Turned Positive in 25 Discharged COVID-19 Patients. Preprint downloaded April 9 from https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa398