A new study about COVID-19 patients says that it takes an average of 18 days for patients who are sicker than others.
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What You Need To Know About The Study
The study noted that COVID-19, the illness coming from the coronavirus pandemic, lives longer from patients who are deemed sicker than those with milder cases, citing a higher viral payload.
The research encompassed over 96 infected individuals from China's Zheijiang province and found out that the median time for the virus to live in the host body samples was about 18 days.
Researchers wrote in the study citing: "The duration of SARS-CoV-2 is significantly longer in stool samples than in respiratory and serum samples, highlighting the need to strengthen the management of stool samples in the prevention and control of the epidemic, and the virus persists longer with higher load and peaks later in the respiratory tissue of patients with severe disease,"
The viral load is defined as the measurement of just how much the virus is measured in millimeters, depending upon where it is being estimated. The samples from the Zheijang-based study were tasted from the patient's noses, throats, blood, urine, and stool samples.
Previous studies, including this one, have warned that COVID-19 can be transmitted from the stools of infected people. We also talked about it here in Techtimes that the sewers in the suburbs are being monitored for traces of COVID-19 to tell if an outbreak is about to occur in the area.
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In Case You Didn't Know How Men And Women React To COVID-19
The researchers also found out that the virus affects men and women differently, in which they noted, "the duration of virus was significantly longer in men than in women."
"Our results shed light on the causes of disease severity in men in terms of the duration of the virus," the researchers added. "In addition to differences in immune status between men and women, it has also been reported to be related to differences in hormone levels."
Age is another factor as well when it comes to the length of the virus within the infected host, the study notes, "partly explains the high rate of severe illness in patients older than 60 years."
The study itself lasted from Jan. 19 to Mar. 20 and is now published in the scientific journal BMJ for all to see, and it's essential to be informed.
Things To Note
We've been covering a lot about the coronavirus pandemic ever since it started, and it's good to be informed if you haven't already from breaking news such as the coronavirus having over 30 strains now, which previously 11 were not found. To know more about the virus and to be updated, stay with us only here at Techtimes, where we keep you informed in the latest of all COVID-19 matters.
