Fig. 1.

Relative SARS-CoV-2 viral loads indicated by Aus Diagnostics ORF8 multiplex-tandem RT-PCR calculated cycle threshold (Ct) values (inverted y-axis) of Patient s 1–3 with differing severities of COVID-19. Samples which did not amplify have been given a nominal value of 35 (equivalent to the maximum calculated Ct for this assay). The ‘final’ (PCR negative) swab was taken 14 days post-illness onset for all Patients. Corresponding sample types according to sampling site (as discussed in the main text): Red squares: nasopharynx – nasopharyngeal swab (NPS); green triangles: nose – nasal swab (NS); blue diamonds: oropharynx – oropharyngeal swab (OPS); yellow crosses: cheek – cheek swab (CS); grey circles: conjunctiva – conjunctival swab (CJS). (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)