biostudies-literatureUnknownYang QWe analyze data from the Fall 2020 pandemic response efforts at the University of Colorado Boulder (USA), where more than 72,500 saliva samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using quantitative RT-PCR. All samples were collected from individuals who reported no symptoms associated with COVID-19 on the day of collection. From these, 1,405 positive cases were identified. The distribution of viral loads within these asymptomatic individuals was indistinguishable from what has been previously reported in symptomatic individuals. Regardless of symptomatic status, approximately 50% of individuals who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 seem to be in non-infectious phases of the disease, based on having low viral loads in a range from which live virus has rarely been isolated. We find that, at any given timmedRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences2021.03.01.21252250https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7941634biostudies-literatureJust 2% of SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals carry 90% of the virus circulating in communities.PMC7941634McQueen MBLasda EHager CRMeyerson NRFink MRGonzales PKSaldi TKPaige CLWorden-Sapper ERSawyer SLLeinwand LParker RFattor WTClark SKMuhlrad DDowell RDBarbachano-Guerrero ABrisson GROzeroff CDDavis JCDecker CJGilchrist ARTat KLYang QWu SSfalseJust 2% of SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals carry 90% of the virus circulating in communities.We analyze data from the Fall 2020 pandemic response efforts at the University of Colorado Boulder (USA), where more than 72,500 saliva samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using quantitative RT-PCR. All samples were collected from individuals who reported no symptoms associated with COVID-19 on the day of collection. From these, 1,405 positive cases were identified. The distribution of viral loads within these asymptomatic individuals was indistinguishable from what has been previously reported in symptomatic individuals. Regardless of symptomatic status, approximately 50% of individuals who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 seem to be in non-infectious phases of the disease, based on having low viral loads in a range from which live virus has rarely been isolated. We find that, at any given tim2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Mar2025-04-26T00:41:27.727Z2021-03-18T08:34:23ZS-EPMC79416343368866310.1101/2021.03.01.21252250