Objective:To study data about SARS-CoV-2 virus shedding and clarify the risk factors for prolonged virus shedding.Methods:Data were retrospectively collected from adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease-19(COVID-19)in Wuhan Union Hospital.We compared clinical features among patients with prolonged(a positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA on day 23 after illness onset)and short virus shedding and evaluated risk factors associated with prolonged virus shedding by multivariate regression analysis.Results:Among 238 patients,the median age was 55.5 years,57.1％were female,92.9％(221/238)were administered with arbidol,58.4％(139/238)were given arbidol in combination with interferon.The median duration of SARS-CoV-2 virus shedding was 23 days(IQR,17.8-30 days)with a longest one of 51 days.The patients with prolonged virus shedding had higher value of D-dimer(P=0.002),IL-6(P＜0.001),CRP(P=0.005)and more lobes lung lesion(P=0.014)on admission,as well as older age(P=0.017)and more patients with hypertension(P=0.044)than in those the virus shedding less than 23 days.Multivariate regression analysis revealed that prolonged viral shedding was significantly associated with initiation arbidol≥8 days after symptom onset[OR:2.447,95％CI(1.351-4.431)],≥3 days from onset of symptoms to first medical visitation[OR:1.880,95％CI(1.035-3.416)],illness onset before Jan.31,2020[OR:3.289,95％CI(1.474-7.337)].Arbidol in combination with interferon was also significantly associated with shorter virus shedding[OR:0.363,95％CI(0.191-0.690)].Conclusion:Duration of SARS-CoV-2 virus shedding was long.Early initiation of arbidol and arbidol in combination with interferon as well as consulting doctor timely after illness onset were helpful for SARS-CoV-2 clearance.