COVID-19: Gujarat Launches App to Track Home-Quarantined Persons

The Gujarat government on Friday launched a mobile application that can monitor the movement of those who have been asked to follow home quarantine for suspected exposure to coronavirus. The Geographic Information System (GIS)-based app was launched in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Vadodara and Rajkot, principal secretary (health) Jayanti Ravi said.

The Municipal Corporation of Surat is already using the application to keep track of 3,600 home-quarantined people in the city, she added. "Apart from GIS mapping, the app is equipped with `Geo Fencing' to alert the authorities if the person moves away from a specific area. It will help us track the movements of around 20,000 persons who are under home quarantine," she said.

Notably, the Gujarat police have so far lodged complaints against 298 persons for violating home quarantine. Around 3,600 home-quarantined persons in Surat have been asked to install "SMC COVID-19 Tracker" on their smartphones, municipal commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani said. "The app helps us track and collect latest information about people who are home-quarantined. It has also helped us monitor their health," he said.

After installing the app, the user is required to declare his or her current location and travel history. Then every hour the user is required to push a button called "Send Location" to update their whereabouts. If the user is found to have moved out of house or the specified area, he or she is sent to institutional quarantine.

Users also have to fill up a simple form twice a day, giving information about symptoms such as fever, cough and difficulty in breathing. They also have to upload latest selfie, so that doctors can assess them remotely.

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