IT experts, economists to help control Covid spread in Ambala

Nitish Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Ambala, May 11

The district administration has decided to rope in a group of computer scientists and economists who have offered pro-bono data analysis and data-backed predictions to mitigate the Covid-19 situation at the ground level in Ambala.

As per information, a Delhi-based group, called ‘Data Fight Covid 19’, of young computer scientists and economists will use machine learning algorithmic interventions to predict the Covi-19 cases, oxygen demand for Covid patients under hospitalisation and efficient bed allocation to needy patients.

An official said the administration was exploring interventions with the group’s support to design mechanisms for notifying and denotifying micro and macro containment zones based on an advance machine-learning technique. It is looking to interlink the number of beds occupied with oxygen support, with the hospital’s daily requirement of oxygen with a view to rationalise the increasing demand and restricted supply of oxygen.

Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associate Utsav Shah, who is playing a key role in this project, said “We are looking to work with a group called ‘Data Fight Covid19’, consisting of a bunch of young computer scientists and economists. The group includes members who are alumni of premier institutes of the country such as IITs and IIMs, and are also graduates from renowned institutions like Harvard, MIT, Oxford, among many others. We approached them and they have offered to provide their service free of cost.”

“The district will share the data regarding the patients, areas from where a large number of patients are being reported and facilities available with the group and then they will provide us their findings, and prediction-based models. It will help the administration in understanding the reason behind the spread of the infection in different areas, and also help us in making adequate arrangements for the coming days”, he added.

SDM, Ambala City, Sachin Gupta said “The idea is to introduce technology. It will help us in predicting the coming hotspots. Online meetings have been held with the team and we have apprised them of the requirements. They will use the data, analyse the trend and will help the administration in forming the strategy in notifying and de-notifying the macro and micro containment zones. Besides this, it will also help us in ensuring judicious use of oxygen in hospitals.”

To predict oxygen demand, bed allocation

A Delhi-based group, called ‘Data Fight Covid 19’, of young computer scientists and economists will use machine learning algorithmic interventions to predict the Covi-19 cases, oxygen demand for patients under hospitalisation and efficient bed allocation to needy patients.