Study: One in 10 people might still be infected with COVID after 10 days Latest Videos
News 24
As per findings of the new study, one among 10 people might still be infected with coronavirus after the 10 days of quarantine period.
The study has been published in the 'International Journal of Infectious Diseases. The study, led by the University of Exeter and funded by Animal Free Research UK, used a newly adapted test that can detect whether the virus was potentially still active. It was applied to samples from 176 people in Exeter who had tested positive on standard PCR tests.
The study found that 13 per cent of people still exhibited clinically-relevant levels of virus after 10 days, meaning they could potentially still be infectious. Some people retained these levels for up to 68 days. The authors believe this new test should be applied in settings where people are vulnerable, to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Professor Lorna Harries, of the University of Exeter Medical School, oversaw the study. She said, "While this is a relatively small study, our results suggest that potentially active virus may sometimes persist beyond a 10 day period, and could pose a potential risk of onward transmission. Furthermore, there was nothing clinically remarkable about these people, which means we wouldn't be able to predict who they are".