China’s giants from Alibaba to Tencent ramp up health tech efforts to battle coronavirus
China’s tech giants are accelerating their efforts in the field of health-care technology using cloud computing and artificial intelligence, as the country looks to contain the fast-spreading new coronavirus. While U.S. technology firms from Apple to Microsoft have spoken publicly about their push into health tech, China’s companies have been quietly working in the background. But with the outbreak of the coronavirus, Beijing has called on the country’s tech giants to pitch in to fight the outbreak. Tech firms have expanded their surveillance capabilities to help the government track where people who have potentially been in contact with the virus are located. And now, the Chinese tech giants are also boosting their push into health care with a focus on providing tools to help the medical industry. Alibaba runs some of China’s biggest e-commerce platforms, a booming cloud computing business, a logistics network, and one of the country’s biggest mobile payment apps Alipay via its subsidiary Ant Financial. It has leaned into these to introduce some health-care features. In January, Alibaba launched an online clinic service on its Alipay and Taobao apps for users in Hubei province, where the coronavirus is believed to have originated and the region with the most number of cases. That service, which allowed people to get online consultations with doctors, was later extended to Beijing residents. In February, the company launched a drug delivery service for people requiring medicines to treat chronic diseases. It comes as hospitals are overburdened with coronavirus cases, and are sometimes left with little resources to help those with other chronic diseases who need urgent treatment. Alibaba’s research arm also developed a new artificial intelligence algorithm . . . . read more CNBC @ARJUNKHARPAL
Coronavirus: China's tech fights back
President Xi Jinping has called on the country's tech sector to help battle the epidemic. Healthcare tech is also being used to identify coronavirus symptoms, find new treatments and monitor the spread of the disease, which has so far infected more than 90,000 people worldwide. But is it up to the job? Several Chinese firms have developed automated technologies for contactless delivery, spraying disinfectants and performing basic diagnostic functions, in order to minimise the risk of cross-infection. Shenzhen-based Pudu Technology, which usually makes robots for the catering industry, has reportedly installed its machines in more than 40 hospitals around the country to help medical staff. Meanwhile, advanced AI has been used to help diagnose the disease and accelerate the development of a vaccine. Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant, claims its new AI-powered diagnosis system can identify coronavirus infections with 96% accuracy. Its founder Jack Ma has just announced . . . . read more on BBC News
Nursing homes in China increase COVID-19 prevention measures
Nursing homes across China are stepping up prevention measures after at least 30 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in a facility in Wuhan City, the heart of the epidemic, last Friday. Authorities have requested social welfare institutes with suspected and confirmed cases to conduct medical examination of the residents. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs has also instructed senior care centers across the country to increase prevention efforts. Eighty-nine-year-old Gu Yuxian stays at a nursing home in east China's Jiangsu Province. "They are very attentive and thoughtful. They deliver breakfast, lunch and dinner to my room. Sometimes they even feed me. They're very patient," she said. Gu can't see her family at the moment due to the COVID-19 epidemic, but she has told her daughter she's fine and asked her to follow the city's infection control measures. "This is a national health emergency. We should be all for the measures. Don't go out. You shouldn't come here either. I'm all . . . . . read more
ICN sends message of support to nurses in China and elsewhere who are tackling Coronavirus
The President of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), Annette Kennedy, has written to the President of the Chinese Nursing Association (CNA), Dr. Wu Xinjuan, offering support to nurses working to alleviate suffering and control the spread of the Coronavirus outbreak in China. Ms. Kennedy wrote, “Please convey my admiration and solidarity to all the nurses in the region who are continuing to work in such difficult circumstances. 'Providing nursing care to people with such a severe infection carries risks, and I hope your colleagues will stay safe and well while they carry out their duties so selflessly. Assisting individuals and families to deal with this situation is an essential and critically valuable service provided by nurses. I commend you all.” ICN CEO, Howard Catton said that ICN was closely monitoring the situation and was in contact with the Chinese Nursing Association and the World Health Organization. He praised the work and courage of nurses on the frontline of both treating and preventing . . . read more
China's elderly care institutions urged to step up coronavirus prevention
China's Ministry of Civil Affairs has issued a guideline for the novel coronavirus prevention and control at elderly care institutions, urging them to step up prevention efforts amid the virus outbreak. Elderly care institutions across the country should suspend receiving unnecessary visitors, volunteer services and social activities, and those who visit elderly care institutions under special circumstances should report their travel history, wear face masks and have their temperature checked, according to the guideline. Elderly care institutions were asked to supply food to all their residents and stop receiving food sent by visiting relatives of the elderly. People working at elderly care institutions were asked to wear face masks and are banned from visiting markets that sell live animals. The guideline also demanded necessary monitoring, medical observation and . . . . . read more
Beijing eldercare facilities on lockdown amid outbreak
All elderly care facilities in Beijing have been on lockdown since Monday and are not allowed to receive any visits to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau said on Sunday. Elderly people living in the facilities cannot go outside and the facility cannot admit any new elderly people, the bureau said. Facility staff should adopt epidemic prevention and control measure and quarantine for elderly people who need medical treatment outside the facilities, the bureau said. The bureau will determine when to lift the lockdown based on read more China Daily
