This cohort study found that male sex, delayed admission to hospital, and invasive mechanical ventilation were associated with prolonged SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding.

This retrospective study explored risk factors that may be associated with COVID-19 RNA shedding in a cohort of 113 symptomatic patients from two hospitals outside Wuhan. The median duration of RNA detection was 17 days from illness onset. When comparing patients with early (<15 days) and late (≥15 days) viral RNA clearance, prolonged RNA shedding was associated with male sex, old age, hypertension, delayed admission to hospital, severe illness at admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and corticosteroid treatment. Patients with longer RNA shedding duration also had fever longer and radiographic findings.