Pts discharged from quarantine were self-quarantined for 4-5 days & still tested positive

[Dennis Donovan]

Link to tweet

Laurie Garrett ✔@Laurie_Garrett

"After hospital discharge or discontinuation of #COVID19 quarantine, the patients were asked to continue quarantine at home for 5 dys. All patients had 3 repeat RT-PCR tests performed over the next 4 to 5 days and all were positive. "

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762452?guestAccessKey=267dc618-ac60-4c9d-b541-e01f79aed7e9
RT-PCR Test Results in Patients Recovered From COVID-19
This case series describes reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results in 4 health professionals discharged from hospitalization or quarantine after 2 negative RT-PCR test...

11:50 PM - Feb 27, 2020

[SunSeeker]

1. Holy shit!

[Renew Deal]

2. Is this saying that they tested negative after recovery in the hospital and later tested positive?

But were asymptomatic?

2 consecutively negative RT-PCR test results plus evidence from clinical characteristics and chest CT findings suggested that the 4 patients qualified for hospital discharge or discontinuation of quarantine.

[littlemissmartypants]

3. From the study...

Discussion
Four patients with COVID-19 who met criteria for hospital discharge or discontinuation of quarantine in China (absence of clinical symptoms and radiological abnormalities and 2 negative RT-PCR test results) had positive RT-PCR test results 5 to 13 days later. These findings suggest that at least a proportion of recovered patients still may be virus carriers. Although no family members were infected, all reported patients were medical professionals and took special care during home quarantine. Current criteria for hospital discharge or discontinuation of quarantine and continued patient management may need to be reevaluated. Although false-negative RT-PCR test results could have occurred as suggested by a previous study,6 2 consecutively negative RT-PCR test results plus evidence from clinical characteristics and chest CT findings suggested that the 4 patients qualified for hospital discharge or discontinuation of quarantine.

The study was limited to a small number of patients with mild or moderate infection. Further studies should follow up patients who are not health care professionals and who have more severe infection after hospital discharge or discontinuation of quarantine. Longitudinal studies on a larger cohort would help to understand the prognosis of the disease.

[intrepidity]

4. That's how I read it

Very odd that two consecutive tests would be negative, but revert back to positive a week later.

That's either wrong (errors in testing) or a very bizarre phenomenon.

[dewsgirl]

5. It's the nature of this virus, has happened frequently.