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Influencer Who Participated in Toilet Licking Challenge Has Coronavirus

Social media influencer licks a public toilet

A social media influencer from California announced he has tested positive for COVID-19. The man, who goes by Larz and uses GayShawnMendes as his Twitter handle, shared a video of himself in a hospital bed confirming the diagnosis. The video was saved by the Daily Mail before Twitter suspended his account.

The announcement comes less than a week after Larz participated in the viral "coronavirus challenge" on TikTok. The challenge involved licking a public toilet seat and was started by 22-year-old Ava Louise, who recorded herself licking the toilet in an airplane bathroom.

It is unclear if he contracted coronavirus from licking the toilet seat, and Larz has not commented since his Twitter account was shut down.

It was not the first time the 21-year-old has licked things for a viral challenge. Last year, he spoke with Dr. Phil and admitted to licking tubs of ice cream and spitting backwash back into the bottle in an effort to gain more followers.

To keep up to date on the latest news about the coronavirus and to understand what you need to stay safe and healthy, check out the Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction podcast from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.