How China is using AI to Track the Coronavirus Spread?
Coronavirus has spread to at least 100 other countries since the first report of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China. As China made a response to the virus, it leaned on its strong technological advancements sector and especially artificial intelligence (AI), data science and technology for tracking and fighting the pandemic while tech leaders including Alibaba, Baidu, Huawei and more accelerated company’s healthcare people. As the virus continues to spread too many other countries, tech startups are integrally involved with clinicians, academics, and government entities around the world to activate technology.
Following are the 10 ways artificial intelligence, data science and technology are being used to manage and fight against this growing COVID-19.
Forecast outbreaks and identification through AI
As it is said, the better we track the virus, the better we can fight it. Artificial Intelligence can learn to detect an outbreak through analyzing news reports, social media platforms and government document. By using AI, however it facilitates tracking infectious diseases risks just like the service Canadian startup Bluedot. Though, several days before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the WHO “World Health Organization” issued their public warnings.
AI helps in diagnosing the Virus
Front-line healthcare workers can detect and monitor the disease efficiently with the use of Artificial Intelligence company Infervision launched a coronavirus AI solution. With the increased workload created by the virus, imaging departments in healthcare facilities are being taxed. This solution however improves CT diagnosis speed.
Process healthcare claims
Dealing with the surge of patients, it’s not only the clinical operations of healthcare systems that are being taxed bust also the administrative divisions and business. Between patients and hospital staff, a blockchain platform offered by Ant Financial helps speed up claims processing and diminishes the amount of direct communication.
Drones deliver medical supplies
Drone delivery is said to be one of the safest and fastest method to get medical supplies where they need to go during a disease outbreak. With low risk between Xinchang country’s disease control centre and the People’s Hospital, Terra Drone is using its unmanned aerial vehicles to transport medical samples and quarantine material. There are numerous uses of Drones. They are also used to patrol public spaces, track non-compliance to quarantine necessitates and for thermal imaging.
Robots deliver food and supplies and perform other tasks
For reducing the human-to-human contact, robots aren’t susceptible to the virus, so they are being developed to complete various tasks in terms of cleaning and sterilizing and delivering food and medications. For autonomously killing the bacteria and viruses, UVD robots from Blue Ocean Robotics use ultraviolet light. Pudu Technology deployed its robots that are typically used in the catering industry to more than 40 hospitals across the country in China.
Advanced fabrics offer protection
Companies such as Israeli startup Sonovia hope to arm healthcare systems and others with face masks made from their anti-pathogen, anti-bacterial fabric that relies on metal-oxide nanoparticles.
Coronavirus Outbreak is affecting the Global Economy
Ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Cornovirus is a large family of viruses that can cause infections. With the cause of pneumonia such as lung lesions, the virus attacks the respiratory system.
Whereas, the other ones that cause Middle East Respiratory Syndrome fare more severe and some of the virus types can cause less serious disease.
Throughout the world, an outbreak of a similar virus, SARS killed more than 900 people in 2003.
Well, if you are healthy, you need not have a mask but if you feel sick and unwell, it is better you wear your mask wherever you go. There’s no proof in it that wearing masks on healthy people will save them. Wearing them incorrectly can increase infection too as they tend to touch their face more often.
When should you wear a mask? The time when you feel sick or you leave the house. If you suffer from flu or think you have Covid, that’s when you’d put on a mask to protect the people around you. Also, if you stay at home and you don’t feel good, you should wear a mask to protect your family members.
There are other experts who have warned that face masks aren’t much use and might signify a “false sense of safety”. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), David Powell, a doctor and medical advisor even stated a warning that face masks do little to stop the spread of the microorganisms on the planes. The professional also told that the air in a plane cabin exists through the filters-the similar kind implemented in the hospital and medical healthcare centres-eliminating upwards of 99.97 per cent of viruses.
The Bottom Line
With a rise in confirmed cases, the countries are grappling and also the WHO (World Health Organisation) has declared a global health emergency. The rapid increase of Coronavirus and the illness it causes known as Covid-19 has sparked the alarm worldwide. For the disruptions to daily life that will be necessary if the coronavirus spreads amongst the communities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising people to get prepared accordingly.
In a global pandemic such as COVID-19, technology, artificial intelligence, and data science have become essential to helping societies deal with the outbreak in an effective and efficient manner.
