Mobile app to fight coronavirus in Nagaland

Nagaland has not reported any coronavirus positive case so far but the state health department fears that the virus could spread.

Disclosing travel history for compulsory quarantine in Nagaland can now be done using smartphones as the state government launched a mobile App on Saturday in order to avoid COVID-19 infection.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio launched the self-declaration COVID-19 official app, which is seen as crucial in tracking and surveillance of high-risk cases, thus, preventing the spread of the virus in the community.

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"The smartphone app aims to track registered individuals using their phone’s GPS to track and offer alert notification specific to user location. The department will track the users and keep a close surveillance through the app in order to curb the community spread. SELF DECLARATION APP is compulsorily for any person who has entered the state after March 6. Students or travellers must register in the app immediately even if one had called the state/district helpline and registered earlier as non-compliance is a punishable offence under Epidemic disease act 1897," an official statement said.

Nagaland has not reported any COVID-19 positive case so far but the state health department fears that the virus could spread through those who came from outside the state.

The health department said that the android users can download the nCOVID-19 App from the app store from https://naKalandhealthproiect.on and IOS users can use the link (https://www.nagalandhealthproject.org/covid/login-user.php.

Rio said a total of 3,076 people including students came back to Nagaland till 4 pm on Saturday since March 6. They have already reported to the district surveillance teams and are in home quarantine.

"Out of 18 samples sent for testing, results for 13 were negative and the remaining five results are awaited. A total of 24,569 phone calls have been received through our health helpline numbers as on Saturday. With regard to essential medical equipments exclusively for COVID-19 cases, the state has 16 ventilators, 1,712 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), 551 numbers of N95 Masks, and 16 cardiac monitors which have further been distributed to various districts,"

He stated that the state received medical equipment consignment totalling 1536 which includes Triple Layer Mask, PPE, BD Universal Viral Transport and swab sticks. "Further, additional medical equipment and accessories totalling 2,16, 800 is expected very soon. In addition, 33 more ventilators are also expected by next week. Constant efforts are being made to expedite delivery of such essential medical equipment and accessories with the help of the Centre," Rio said.