TABLE 1.

Detection rate and SARS-CoV load in plasma during the course of infection in SARS patients (probable SARS cases)^a

Day of illnessb	No. of samples	No. of positive samples	Detection rate (%)	Viral load (copies/ml of plasma)c
				Median	Mean	Range
d2-d4	20	10	50	2.36 × 103	4.17 × 103	2.15 × 102-5.89 × 105
d5-d7	12	9	75	6.91 × 103	1.41 × 104	1.80 × 102-3.44 × 106
d8-d11	11	7	64	1.47 × 104	2.34 × 104	2.91 × 103-1.20 × 105
d12-d16	8	3	38	3.83 × 103	2.82 × 103	4.01 × 102-1.48 × 104
Total	51	29	57

^aProbable SARS cases were diagnosed according to the WHO clinical definitions (17).

^bThe first day of fever is the day 1 (d1) of illness.

^cThe medians, means, and ranges of viral load of the positive samples are shown.