Seemingly recovered COVID-19 patients still have viral RNA in fecal matter: new study

The video discusses the potential of wastewater testing as an early warning system for coronavirus transmission in communities. It highlights a study from China's Guangdong province, which found SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the stool samples of hospitalized patients. The study involved 73 patients, with 53% testing positive in stool samples, even when respiratory samples were negative. The findings suggest possible fecal-oral transmission, as some patients remained infected according to endoscopy results.

Discuss the implications of patients testing negative in respiratory samples while remaining positive in stool samples.

What does the term 'fecal-oral transmission' imply in the context of the study?