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Big Data Helps Taiwan Fight Coronavirus


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Visitors to a temple in Taipei, Taiwan, wearing surgical masks.

An international team of researchers credit the emergency deployment of big data analytics and other technologies for Taiwan's ability to largely control the propagation of the coronavirus.

Credit: Alberto Buzzola/LightRocket/Getty Images

Taiwan says it has largely controlled the propagation of the  coronavirus, which an international team of researchers credit mainly to the emergency deployment of big data analytics and other technologies.

Stanford University's Chih-Hung Jason Wang said officials mapped out the pathogen's transmissionfrom the outbreak's start, by integrating Taiwan's national health insurance database with its immigration and customs database.

The result was detailed information of Taiwanese citizens' two-week travel histories and symptoms, which was shared with hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies.

Authorities also tracked foreign travelers with cellphones and had them fill out health declaration forms; anyone placed in quarantine was provided a cellphone and monitored through calls and visits.

Taiwanese officials also used information technology to keep track of the number of masks, isolation rooms, and other health provisions were available.

From IEEE Spectrum
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Abstracts Copyright © 2020 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA


 

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