Virology

Coronavirus

Outbreak

Geometry

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Correlation

Virus

Disease

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Mathematics

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

Respiratory tract

Internal medicine

Viral load

Respiratory system

Asymptomatic

Medicine

Eurosurveillance

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 viral load in the upper respiratory tract peaks around symptom onset and infectious virus persists for 10 days in mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (n = 324 samples analysed). RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values correlate strongly with cultivable virus. Probability of culturing virus declines to 8% in samples with Ct &gt; 35 and to 6% 10 days after onset; it is similar in asymptomatic and symptomatic persons. Asymptomatic persons represent a source of transmissible virus.

Duration of infectiousness and correlation with RT-PCR cycle threshold values in cases of COVID-19, England, January to May 2020