South Africa testing digital technology to detect respiratory disease outbreaks
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa is planning to use a digital participatory surveillance platform, where users regularly report their symptoms online via a mobile application or social media platforms, to survey respiratory diseases such as the influenza and Coronavirus. A pilot phase will check feasibilities before adding it into the existing surveillance system.
This surveillance app is meant for long-term surveillance, which is different from the existing COVID-19 Alert app used for contact tracing. The app will help the population to contribute in the control and prevention of respiratory diseases.
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