University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

This study was initiated after two patients (Patients 1 and 2) who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were hospitalized, discharged, and then readmitted with another positive test. 58 additional patients who had been hospitalized for COVID-19 and discharged before February 27, 2020 were included in the sample. 

Among the 60 discharged patients enrolled, 10 patients (16.7%) had positive RT-PCR results. None of the patients had clinical symptoms except cough in patients 1 and 2, who were both over the age of 70 with underlying conditions. Patient 2's second positive test indicates a viral shedding duration of 56 days from illness onset.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 Test Results After Clinical Recovery and Hospital Discharge Among Patients in China

Wu, J., Liu, X., Liu, J., Liao, H., Long, S., & Zhou, N. (2020). Coronavirus Disease 2019 Test Results After Clinical Recovery and Hospital Discharge Among Patients in China. JAMA Network Open, 3(5), e209759-e209759.
doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.9759
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/article-abstract/2766230

Figure: Timeline of Clinical Course of Discharged Patients With Positive Reverse Transcriptase–Polymerase Chain Reaction Test Results for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 

The 10 patients had second positive tests 4 to 24 days after hospital discharge, indicating a need for standardized home isolation guidelines for discharged COVID-19 hospital patients. 
These positive results were presumed to be continued viral shedding rather than reinfection. 

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