Quezon City employing AI to monitor, track COVID-19 cases

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government will be using artificial intelligence to automate contact-tracing efforts, the city hall said in a news release on Tuesday, July 28.

Mayor Joy Belmonte led the launching of the project called BANTAI COVID—a pun on "AI"—on Sunday. It aims to reach those who have been exposed to coronavirus patients remotely and in real-time.

“The latest method will help spare healthcare workers from unnecessary exposure and risks,” Belmonte said.

Besides easing the burden of health workers, the technology will facilitate the building and centralizing of a digital repository for patients' data that will be accessible to health workers at any time.

Dr. Rolando Cruz, head of the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, said the database will also contain up-to-date information on patients' admission, discharge and recovery.

"There will be more data for us to interpret and use,” Cruz said.

It will also bridge patients and health workers without having to physically meet.

“Our health workers, including volunteer doctors, will be able to pull out a record and conduct triage, and refer the patient to any hospital or quarantine facility as needed,” Cruz said.

Belmonte, herself recently recovered from COVID-19, said she understands the worries of those battling the disease, particularly the asymptomatic patients.

“Aside from medical advice, we want them to know they have someone to turn to or consult whenever they feel the need. We’re happy this project will address this,” Belmonte said.

Quezon City is the first site for the technology's implementation. “We welcome this project as this pandemic has driven all of us to innovate and find new ways to address our emerging problems,” she added.

BANTAI COVID is made possible through close collaboration with the Philippine Medical Association, private enterprise VIREO Loadworks, and the Quezon City Medical Society.

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Disclosure: Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte is a shareholder of Philstar Global Corp., which operates digital news outlet Philstar.com. This article was produced following editorial guidelines.