Harnessing the Power of Vocal Signals in COVID-19 Detection Utilizing Machine Learning

The global COVID-19 pandemic has strained health-care systems and highlighted the need for accessible and efficient diagnostic methods. Traditional diagnostic tools, such as nasal swabs and biosensors, while accurate, pose significant logistical challenges and high costs, limiting their scalability. This paper explores an alternative, non-invasive approach to COVID-19 detection using machine learning algorithms to analyze vocal patterns, particularly cough and breathing sounds. Leveraging a publicly available dataset, we developed machine learning models capable of classifying audio samples as COVID-19 positive or negative. Our models achieve an AUC of up to 85% and an F1-score of 81%, demonstrating the potential of machine learning in enabling rapid, cost-effective COVID-19 diagnosis. These findings suggest that audio-based diagnostics could be a practical and scalable solution, particularly in resource-limited settings where traditional methods are less feasible.