Start-ups come up with tech-driven solutions to track coronavirus patients

With the coronavirus spreading across the country, several start-ups are coming up with technology-driven solutions to identify cases and help the government track the movement of those who have been tested positive. 

Bengaluru-based Healthtech start-up Mfine has rolled out a Coronavirus assessment feature which enables virtual medical consultation to assess patients who have flu-like symptoms. During the consultation, the tool collects basic information from users by guiding them through questions to know about their health, the timeline of symptoms, age, medical history, and travel details. It then makes a doctor consult with the patient over audio and video, and based on the case sheet, the doctor advises if the patient needs to take further assessment at a hospital. “So far 3,000 people have used it in the past 10 days and around 4 per cent people were told to Mfine. The whole process takes around 15 minutes and costs Rs 100. 

Healthcare company Portea has developed a chatbot called Cobot-19 which will disseminate information related to coronavirus. It will collect data from trusted sources including the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Johns Hopkins, and share it with the general public. “We are the only country after Singapore to have launched such a chatbot at this scale and if successful, we aim to replicate it at the national level,” said Meena Ganesh, MD and CEO, Portea Medical. The chatbot is currently available in Goa. Mumbai based Haptik has also developed a WhatsApp chatbot to educate people about the virus and shatter myths with accurate information.

Bajaj Allianz too has rolled out an app with the Social Trackback feature, which is designed to help individuals maintain a real-time database of the people they have interacted in-person. The company claims this will help authorities track the details in case a user has been tested positive for the novel virus. 

Kerala-based Asimov Robotics has also placed two of its robots at Maker village in Kochi which are dispensing sanitisers and distributing masks to the  employees working in various start-up companies in the integrated startup complex. 

New Delhi-headquartered MapmyIndia has come up with an app enabling users to view, locate  and reach nearby coronavirus testing labs, isolation and treatment facilities. "We are also welcoming comments, feedback, suggestions from users which will help us enhance the functionality of these resources, making them more relevant, efficient and effective," said Rohan Verma, CEO, MapmyIndia.