Smart toilets for monitoring COVID-19 surges: passive diagnostics and public health
T. Jessie Ge, Carmel T. Chan, Brian J. Lee, Joseph C. Liao, Seung Min Park
Abstract
Continued COVID-19 surges have highlighted the need for widespread testing in addition to vaccination for disease containment. SARS-COV-2 RNA can be found in faecal matter, making human stool another potential source for COVID-19 diagnostics. In this commentary, we highlight potential strategies to use a smart toilet platform to passively monitor COVID-19 surges, enabling earlier detection of infected individuals and promoting public health.
Topics & Concepts
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Public healthSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)2019-20 coronavirus outbreakEnvironmental healthToiletVirologyMedicineEnvironmental scienceBusinessOutbreakDiseaseEnvironmental engineeringInfectious disease (medical specialty)PathologySARS-CoV-2 detection and testingCOVID-19 diagnosis using AIBiosensors and Analytical Detection