LAUSR

Testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is vital for identification of cases. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hospitalized patients with symptoms receive priority for testing. Delayed testing could occur because patients have atypical presentations or the initial test is a false negative. Since test sensitivity depends on the site sampled and hospital protocols usually rely on nasal samples, patients with lower respiratory tract infections can have a false-negative result. Understanding how often the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 is missed is essential for infection control. We describe the frequency and characteristics of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 diagnosed after admission.