Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Discharged COVID-19 Patients with Reoccurrence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in a County Hospital of Western Chongqing, China

Background: Some recovered COVID-19 patients test positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA within a short time; however, data on their characteristics and outcomes are limited. Therefore, we described the clinical characteristics and outcomes of recovered COVID-19 patients with the reoccurrence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in western Chongqing, China.Methods: Fourteen recovered and discharged COVID-19 patients were followed up from January 23, 2020, to March 30, 2020. They were diagnosed by nasopharyngeal swab using real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays. Their demographic and epidemiological characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory parameters, computed tomography (CT) imaging findings, and therapeutic medications were collected and retrospectively analyzed.Findings: Of the 14 patients, six (42.86%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA after discharge; their average age was 50.83 years, and two had comorbidities. At initial disease evaluation, two cases each were mild, moderate, and severe. At readmittance, all the cases presented with a mild cough, diarrhea, runny nose, and no fever; their laboratory indexes were significantly improved compared to the initial infection, and the pulmonary lesions were continuously improving. The time to SARS-CoV-2 RNA-positive conversion ranged from 3–15 days after the first discharge. The RT-PCR cycle threshold values all approximated 40 indicating a lower viral load. The time to SARS-CoV-2 RNA-negative conversion ranged from 1–16 days (median 7, average 7.5). IgG and IgM antibody tests were positive and negative in all patients, respectively. All close contacts with the six cases were SARS-CoV-2 RNA-negative.Interpretation: No worsening outcomes or active transmission to close contacts were found for the readmitted COVID-19 patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA suggesting that requarantine may be unnecessary.Funding Statement: The study was supported by the Key Funding for COVID-19 Clinical Investigation (Special and Urgent item) by Chongqing Medical University and also supported by the Medical Research Project of Science and Health Union from Chongqing, China (2019ZDXM042).Declaration of Interests: All authors declare no competing interests.Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by the Ethics Commission of The People's Hospital of Dazu District. Written informed consent was waived by the Ethics Commission of the designated hospital for emerging infectious diseases.