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A Partition-Based Group Testing Algorithm for Estimating the Number of Infected Individuals

Beigel, R.; Webber, M. J.

2021-07-27 epidemiology
10.1101/2021.07.27.21260924 medRxiv
Show abstract

The dangers of COVID-19 remain ever-present worldwide. The asymptomatic nature of COVID-19 obfuscates the signs policy makers look for when deciding to reopen public areas or further quarantine. In much of the world, testing resources are often scarce, creating a need for testing potentially infected individuals that prioritizes efficiency. This report presents an advancement to Beigel and Kasifs Approximate Counting Algorithm (ACA). ACA estimates the infection rate with a number of tests that is logarithmic in the population size. Our newer version of the algorithm provides an extra level of efficiency: each subject is tested exactly once. A simulation of the algorithm, created for and presented as part of this paper, can be used to find a linear regression of the results with R2 > 0.999. This allows stakeholders and members of the biomedical community to estimate infection rates for varying population sizes and ranges of infection rates.

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