ObjectiveTo investigate a more convenient and safe sampling method for viral nucleic acid detection of coronavirus disease 2019.MethodsAn oropharyngeal swab and nasopharyngeal swab were simultaneously taken from 100 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in a hospital in Wuhan. Then the efficacies of two sampling methods were compared on the positive rates of viral nucleic acid detection.ResultsThe positive rate for SARS-CoV-2 was 54% in oropharyngeal swabs, while 89% positive in nasopharyngeal swabs. There was a significant difference in the detection rate between oropharyngeal swab and nasopharyngeal swab (χ2=3.850 4, P=0.049 7).ConclusionsThe positive rate for nucleic acid testing from nasopharyngeal swabs are significantly better than that from oropharyngeal swabs. Therefore, sampling by nasopharyngeal swabs, rather than oropharyngeal swabs, should be chosen as the preferred virological screening method for patients with coronavirus disease 2019.