Positive stool test suggests that the discharge standard of COVID-19 needs to be improved

Abstract

We report a hospitalized patient with COVID-19 whose fecal samples turned negative 22 days later than the respiratory samples. It highlights that the duration of virus release from patients is longer than previously expected. Current clinical examinations for treatment and discharge standard are limited to respiratory samples. However, we believe that nucleic acid testing of both respiratory and fecal samples is necessary for discharged patients. Further studies are needed to confirm the potential for fecal-oral transmission or fecal-respiratory transmission via aerosols.