An increased number of google searches for gastrointestinal issues corresponded with an increase in COVID-19 cases, according to a new study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Researchers were inspired to look into this phenomena by the tendency of patients with COVID-19 to report symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Our data underscore the importance of GI symptoms as a potential harbinger of Covid-19 infection and suggests that Google Trends may be a valuable tool for prediction of pandemics with GI manifestations…”
Kyle Staller, director of Mass General’s gastrointestinal motility laboratory
Related: Natural Coronavirus Prevention
Researchers used Alphabet Inc.’s Google Trends online tool to compare searches for diarrhea and loss of taste and appetite with reported COVID-19 cases. They found a positive correlation. Areas that experienced a high volume of gastrointestinal symptom searches, like New York, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts and Illinois, became states with high-disease burdens three to four weeks after the searches.
Related: How To Heal Your Gut
This study comes on the heels of another study that COVID-19 patients often have prolonged viral intestinal infections. Patients with gut infections continued to have positive stool tests, even after respiratory tests came back negative.
Latest posts by Kristina Martin (see all)
- Renewable Energy Reduces Carbon Emissions More Than Nuclear Energy, Says New Study - October 23, 2020
- Chewing Gum is Full of Plastic and Wax - October 14, 2020
- Cannabis Use Increases Need for Painkillers After Surgery, Says Study - October 14, 2020