Uttarakhand uses GIS mapping to track areas affected by COVID-19

Uttarakhand

Due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases and people under quarantine, the Government of Uttarakhand has started using GIS mapping of areas affected by the viral outbreak to come up with a better strategy to tackle the Coronavirus.

Uttarakhand

Within a week the COVID-19 cases have doubled in the state and the number of people under quarantine has seen a fivefold increase. On April 3, the number of people quarantined was 8,559 but the graph crossed the 44,000 mark by April 10.

The GIS mapping exercise that the State began is expected to conclude over the weekend. The exercise will include covering information including the number of positive cases, the number of people in isolation, home and institutional quarantine and number of contacts of affected people identified in that locality. The mapped information will be made available on the official website and will have all the key information regarding the COVID-19 situation.

Riddhim Aggarwal, Additional CEO, Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, said, “The mapping exercise will help in planning a strategy for the supply of essential services in that particular locality and also decide more areas that need to be sealed as buffer zones. COVID-19 related information of the entire state will be on a single page.”

The map will also display buffer zones on the website and regularly update the number of cases and people in quarantine. The map will also locate the 109 relief camps in the entire state wherein more than 4,500 people have been provided shelter.

However, some information will be only accessible to officials involved in the identification of affected areas and decision-making for COVID-19 situation. Citizens will be given access to limited information such as nearby hospitals, control room numbers, helplines, location of relief camps, essential contact details of the officials, and information for spreading awareness. Also, the NGOs engaged in providing food to the needy and essential services will also be given access to the necessary information.

As of yet, 35 people in the state have tested positive for COVID-19 and five have already been discharged. Of the total 13 districts in the state, cases have surfaced from six of them.