An App that can save lives
Open Epidemic Tracker ‘OET’ aims to become a global free available and efficient mobile app/platform solution for epidemic surveillance and response – availability, gaps and adopted by recognized institutions like World Health Organization ‘WHO’ and governments. Motivations and inspirations. Due to the unstoppable and incontrollable Coronavirus COVID-19 disease outbreak, despite of governments historical and radical decisions, and especially after the 1st death in Algeria, worried about the evolution of this epidemic in less developed countries, we are putting our technology knowledge in contribution as a volunteer act to defeat this pandemic. We are inspired mainly by 2 Chinese measures:
- The use of Big Data and AI to fight the virus.
- 10 days challenge to build a hospital. OET will be designed to use efficient technics of Big Data and AI with a transparent user data collection policy (Developed through Open Source Project). 10 days to deliver a first working version with basic features due to the emergency. The long term project will be more mature and include deeper functions developed with the help of health professionals.
Basic features (v2003).
- Client Side.
- User Registration. Definition of Profile Required Information: Age, Sex, Some useful health details (diabetes, cardiac disease, … TBD by health specialist). Maybe email and/or phone to give the ability to user to be contacted by government/health services.
- Symptoms registration and tracking. This data will be uploaded to the server side, which will process data using and diagnosis algorithm developed with health specialist to reduce false-positive and concentrate on more suspicious cases (A much better process than the toll free number, 3030 in Algeria and avoid the surcharge of the call centre).
- Global map showing suspects (Orange color)/confirmed (Red color) cases, risky zones, … And any other useful real-time geo-localized information. User must agree to share GPS tracking.
- Real-time notification push of nearest threats using health professional thresholds and instructions.
- Health Information, Instructions and News menu about several diseases (Priority to Coronavirus COVID-19).
- Server Side
- Threat computing and simulation using the collected spatial-temporal data, and other information by health specialist
- Provide Admin panel and comprehensive dashboard to government and recognized institutions for real-time monitoring (Inspired by DSS Decision Support System)
- Government/local authorities can send instructions to other tiers, like Telecom Operator, which can notify targeted population by SMS for those not having the App installed or not using a smartphone.
Of course, this list is not limited and is open to any suggestions using pull request with 'enhancement' label.
Thanks for all your contributions.
Mahfoud G.
Good to know.
Research Article Mohanty, B., Chughtai, A. and Rabhi, F., 2019. Use of Mobile Apps for epidemic surveillance and response – availability and gaps.. Global Biosecurity, 1(2), pp.37–49 https://jglobalbiosecurity.com/articles/10.31646/gbio.39/
How China is using AI and big data to fight the coronavirus https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/china-ai-big-data-combat-coronavirus-outbreak-200301063901951.html
Apple is rejecting coronavirus apps that aren’t from health organizations, app makers say https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/05/apple-rejects-coronavirus-apps-that-arent-from-health-organizations.html
COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation dashboard https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
World Health Organization https://www.who.int/