Prognosis
Fecal Transmission May Be Behind Coronavirus’s Rapid Spread
- Chinese researchers find live virus particles in stool samples
- Outbreak on cruise ships is reminiscent of gastro virus
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The novel coronavirus is shed in the feces of infected people, which may help explain why it’s spread so fast, according to Chinese researchers.
The finding of live virus particles in stool specimens indicates a fecal-oral route for coronavirus, which may be why it’s caused outbreaks on cruise ships with an intensity often seen with gastro-causing norovirus, which also spreads along that pathway. More than 600 Covid-19 infections were confirmed among passengers and crew aboard the Diamond Princess, the ship quarantined for two weeks in Yokohama, Japan.