63 days detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from a recovered patient in Southern Italy: A Case Report

SARS-CoV-2 shedding time represents a big Pubic Health concern, in particular with regards to home isolation and efficient swab tests scheduling. In mild cases, the virus has been identified in respiratory tract specimens for up to 8 days after the onset of symptoms, while in more severe cases it has been identified for longer periods, peaking in the second week after infection. A retrospective cohort study conducted in Wuhan, China, reported for survivors a median duration of viral shedding of 20.0 days (IQR 17.0–24.0) from illness onset; the shortest observed duration of viral shedding was 8 days, whereas the longest was 37 days. We report a case of a 43-year-old man from Apulia (Southern Italy) who presented a very long SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection time, i.e. 63 days.