Tech to track those under quarantine: Sudhakar

In a move that appears to take recourse in surveillance measures to track people infected with Covid-19 and those who come in contact with them, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said the government has deployed technology that will help enforce home quarantine.

This was approved in an emergency meeting of the Cabinet to take stock of the Covid-19 situation on Wednesday.

“So far, 42,500 people have come to Bengaluru from abroad. Using technology, through (auto-generated) phone calls, we’re able to understand if they have symptoms. Going a step further, it was decided in the Cabinet that if those required to be under home-quarantine violate this and come in touch with someone, using this technology, we can track with whom they were in touch for the last 15 days. As a result, we can call them up and find out about their health,” Sudhakar explained in the Legislative
Assembly.

According to sources, this app will employ the same tactic and technology used to track tuberculosis patients and those who they come in contact with.

A Bengaluru-based company is working on the app, which is currently being tested. “It will not be available on the web and will be installed in the phones of those under quarantine. Though how the app works is still unclear, it will help track those who might face secondary infection,” sources said.

The app will be centrally monitored and the government is said to be in touch with telephone companies for the purpose as it cannot be done without their assistance, sources added.