Fig. 1: Hallmarks of viral shedding in aggregated samples.

a, Samples and sample types per day. b, Viral RNA concentrations in samples from the upper respiratory tract. Neg., sample negative for RNA copies. c, Viral RNA concentrations in sputum and stool samples. d, Seroconversion and virus isolation success, dependent on day after the onset of symptoms. Top, fraction of seroconverted patients. Bottom, aggregated results of virus isolation trials. e, Virus isolation success, dependent on viral load. Viral loads were projected to RNA copies per ml (for sputum samples), per swab (for throat swab samples) or per g (for stool samples). f, g, Projected virus isolation success based on probit distributions. The inner lines are probit curves (dose–response rule). The outer dotted lines are 95% confidence interval. For a <5% isolation success, the estimated day was 9.78 (95% confidence interval 8.45–21.78) days after the onset of symptoms, and the estimated RNA concentration for <5% isolation success was estimated to be 5.40 log₁₀(RNA copies per ml) (95% confidence interval −4.11–6.51). h, Subgenomic viral RNA transcripts in relation to viral genomic RNA. Dots represent mean values of RT–PCR data obtained from at least two independent experiments on samples from individual patients. Plots show median values with interquartile ranges.