Acute gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, abdominal pain, or vomiting) and elevated markers of inflammation (CRP, ESR, or procalcitonin) and no other obvious microbial cause of inflammation, including bacterial sepsis, staphylococcal, or streptococcal shock syndromes and evidence of COVID-19 (RT-PCR assay, antigen test, or serology positive) or likely contact with patients with COVID-19. The gene discussed is ESR1; the disease is COVID-19.