Since January 2020, Elsevier has established a COVID-19 resource center on its public news and information website, Elsevier Connect, providing free English and Mandarin information about the novel coronavirus. Elsevier grants permission to make all COVID-19-related research available in PubMed Central and other public repositories, with unrestricted reuse and analysis rights, as long as the resource center remains active. The article also reports on the viral load dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples from 82 infected individuals. Real-time RT-PCR assays were used to measure viral loads in throat swabs, sputum, urine, and stool samples. Viral loads in throat swab and sputum samples peaked around 5–6 days after symptom onset, with higher loads in sputum compared to throat swabs. No viral RNA was detected in urine or stool samples. The viral load was high early after onset, with a notable case of a deceased patient showing an extremely high viral load. Two individuals under active surveillance tested positive before symptom onset, indicating potential pre-symptomatic transmission. Viral loads in throat and sputum samples were significantly correlated. Stool samples from 53% of confirmed cases were positive, suggesting the need for caution when handling fecal samples.Since January 2020, Elsevier has established a COVID-19 resource center on its public news and information website, Elsevier Connect, providing free English and Mandarin information about the novel coronavirus. Elsevier grants permission to make all COVID-19-related research available in PubMed Central and other public repositories, with unrestricted reuse and analysis rights, as long as the resource center remains active. The article also reports on the viral load dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples from 82 infected individuals. Real-time RT-PCR assays were used to measure viral loads in throat swabs, sputum, urine, and stool samples. Viral loads in throat swab and sputum samples peaked around 5–6 days after symptom onset, with higher loads in sputum compared to throat swabs. No viral RNA was detected in urine or stool samples. The viral load was high early after onset, with a notable case of a deceased patient showing an extremely high viral load. Two individuals under active surveillance tested positive before symptom onset, indicating potential pre-symptomatic transmission. Viral loads in throat and sputum samples were significantly correlated. Stool samples from 53% of confirmed cases were positive, suggesting the need for caution when handling fecal samples.