People with COVID-19 could test positive for up to 35 days

A study of around 200 people with COVID-19 has found that the viruses genetic material, known as RNA, is shed for 14 days on average, but may still be detectable in tests for up to 35 days after symptoms start. Like the COVID-19 tests being used in Australia, the test in the study looked for viral RNA rather than active viruses, so it does not mean people are infectious for this amount of time. The researchers found no links between longer viral RNA shedding and symptom severity, however they did find that people who shed viral RNA for longer had less active immune cell responses at the initial phase of infection. The study also found around four in 10 people shed virus RNA intermittently, meaning the returned a positive test after having a negative one. The researchers say this shows intermittent shedding is common and may explain re-detection of viral RNA in recovered patients.