The organization of the SARS-CoV-2 genome is illustrated, including each coding region and untranslated regions (UTR) (names indicated below) as well as Transcription Recognition Sequences (TRS, grey arrowheads above). Subgenomic RNAs for each viral structural protein (ORF3a and E shown) consist of the Leader (L) sequence from the 5´ UTR appended to the 5´ end of the coding region separated by the TRS. The location of primer-probe sets used in this study to detect E (WHO E gene and sgE (Wölfel-sgE and Mills-sgE) are identified by lines with arrowheads (primers) and open circles (probes), respectively, above the partial sequence of sgE. 