This letter reports on the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in upper respiratory specimens from 18 patients in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China. The study included 14 patients with imported cases and 3 patients with secondary infections. Nasal and throat swabs were collected from each patient, and viral loads were measured using reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assays targeting the N and Orf1b genes of SARS-CoV-2. Higher viral loads were detected soon after symptom onset, with higher levels in the nose compared to the throat. The viral load patterns resembled those seen in influenza patients but differed from those in SARS-CoV patients. The study suggests that better data are needed to understand transmission dynamics and inform screening practices, especially for asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic individuals.This letter reports on the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in upper respiratory specimens from 18 patients in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China. The study included 14 patients with imported cases and 3 patients with secondary infections. Nasal and throat swabs were collected from each patient, and viral loads were measured using reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assays targeting the N and Orf1b genes of SARS-CoV-2. Higher viral loads were detected soon after symptom onset, with higher levels in the nose compared to the throat. The viral load patterns resembled those seen in influenza patients but differed from those in SARS-CoV patients. The study suggests that better data are needed to understand transmission dynamics and inform screening practices, especially for asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic individuals.