Negative results in nucleic acid test of COVID-19 patients: assessment from the perspective of clinical laboratories

Since December 2019, there had been an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is prevalent around the world, and the number of infected cases has increased rapidly. Viral nucleic acid test of SARS-CoV-2 can provide direct evidence for rapid diagnosis, disease course monitoring, and therapeutic efficacy. However, in practice, false-negative results in nucleic acid test are common, causing missed diagnoses, which are not conducive to the prevention and control of this outbreak. This article analyzes the possible causes and proposed measures to reduce the false-negative rate of nucleic acid test results and more effectively curb the outbreak.