However, just five weeks later, nearly three-quarters of samples from patients had low viral loads - representing a 180 percent jump. What's more, the decline in viral loads was linked to a decrease in death rate. To estimate the viral load, researchers used what is known as a cycle threshold (Ct) value for each sample, with a higher Ct indicating a lower viral load. Almost half of patients who were in the high viral group died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. 'A downward trend in the initial [viral load] may reflect a reduction in the severity of the pandemic and trends in the viral load values over time may represent a marker to assess the progress of the pandemic.

Source: Daily Mail September 28, 2020 16:45 UTC