Asymptomatic coronavirus patient shed virus for 70 days: case study

A 71-year-old cancer patient who tested positive for the novel coronavirus but never showed symptoms remained infectious for 70 days, according to a case study. It started when she went to the emergency room for low back and lower extremity pain and underwent surgery, which then landed her at a rehabilitation facility, according to the study, which was published in the journal Cell.

This case shows how some people can be infected longer than usual. The authors of the study noted that immunocompromised patients may have a wide variety of conditions or undergo treatments that alter the immune system, creating opportunities for prolonged viral replication.