What’s new: A new study published Thursday by researchers at the University of Hong Kong in the journal Nature found that although hamsters infected with the new coronavirus continued to test positive for about two weeks, they generally stopped spreading the coronavirus to other animals within seven days.
The study, which has not yet been edited, also found that the virus can affect the olfactory nerves, which may help to explain why many Covid-19 patients report an impaired sense of smell.
The background: Hui-Ling Yen, the paper’s corresponding author, said the results of the study accord with Hong Kong’s latest Covid-19 controls. The city has shortened the quarantine period to 10 days after the onset of illness if the patient has recovered.
Contact reporter Lu Yutong (yutonglu@caixin.com) and editor Matthew Walsh (matthewwalsh@caixin.com)
