Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found Google searches for gastrointestinal problems could be a potential warning system for the location of coronavirus outbreaks, Bloomberg reports.
Using the Google Trends tool, the researchers determined that the volume of searches for those symptoms between Jan. 20 and April 20 correlated strongly with coronavirus cases in then-hot spots like New York, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, and Illinois, three to four weeks later.
COVID-19 patients often report gastrointestinal issues, like abdominal pain and diarrhea, and going forward, health officials could monitor those searches to try to pin down upcoming hot spots. "Our data underscore the importance of GI symptoms as a potential harbinger of COVID-19 infection and suggests Google Trends may be a valuable tool for predictions of pandemics with GI manifestations," the study says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The results of the research suggest Google searches could operate in a similar, though probably less specific, fashion to wastewater, which is already being used as a predictive method for coronavirus infections in several cities across the world and even on college campuses. Read more at Bloomberg.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
-
6 new horror novels to read this fallThese upcoming releases will have you on the edge of your seat — or hiding under the covers
-
6 bucolic homes in New Hampshire
Feature Featuring an island house in Meredith and a private pond in Lee
-
Etaf Rum recommends 6 empowering reads centered around women
Feature The author suggests works by Zora Neale Hurston, Sylvia Plath and more
-
FDA to re-evaluate effectiveness of common nasal congestion ingredient
Speed Read
-
A flesh-eating bacteria is growing in numbers due to climate change
Speed Read
-
CDC recommends new RSV vaccine for infants under 8 months
Speed Read
-
U.S. health agency advises easing federal marijuana restrictions
Speed Read
-
Medicare drug price negotiations start with 1st 10 drugs, pharmaceutical industry lawsuits
Speed Read
-
Air pollution may be increasing antibiotic resistance, new research suggests
Speed Read
-
Tick bites could cause an allergy to red meat, CDC says
Speed Read
-
The danger of drinking too much water
Speed Read
