Viral dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 across a spectrum of disease severity in COVID-19

Fang et al. reported in this journal that viral shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in nasal swabs was longer in intensive care unit (ICU) patients compared with non-ICU patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).1 COVID-19 encompasses a heterogeneous spectrum of illness, ranging from asymptomatic and mild infections, to severely ill cases in 4–16%.2,3 Here, we report the findings of a prospective cohort study to determine viral dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in mild to critical severity of illness, and the temporal viral burden at different body sites.