Published on May 10, 2020
Link to site https://covid19-map.cdcmoh.gov.kh/
COVID-19 is a new infectious disease that is a growing concern in Cambodia and globally due to its rapid person-to-person transmission. The spread of COVID-19 has led to a proliferation of misleading and false information, making it challenging for individuals to make informed decisions. This misinformation has resulted in panic buying and hoarding of masks and hand sanitizers, leading to inflated prices of these essential products.
In response to the misinformation, InSTEDD iLab SEA collaborated with the Ministry of Health to create a Covid-19 outbreak map (https://covid19-map.cdcmoh.gov.kh), a reliable source of information for people to access accurate updates on the situation in Cambodia. The outbreak map serves as a visual representation of the coronavirus cases across the country, providing real-time data on the number of COVID-19 cases in different locations. The application also offers educational videos from reliable sources and connects users to additional resources such as the 115 hotline and CDC Facebook page.
The purpose of the map is to provide a reliable and accessible means of communication for Cambodian citizens. The site offers convenient mapping functions that serve as a centralized source for updates on infection numbers across the country. It aims to provide a clearer and more efficient way for citizens to stay informed about the current situation.
The outbreak map is initiated and implemented by the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) of the Ministry of Health of Cambodia, with technical assistance from InSTEDD.
Data is extracted from the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) of the Ministry of Health to ensure the quality and reliability of the information.
The outbreak map is one of InSTEDD's contributions to Cambodia's health sector. In January 2016, InSTEDD also launched the hotline '115', a free national hotline that allows the general public and healthcare workers in Cambodia to access information and report diseases by dialing 1-1-5. In 2017, the hotline proved to be highly effective in enabling early detection of outbreak cases, including a deadly strain of flu in Svay Rieng Province. The detection and response story from Svay Rieng was unknown to the iLab SEA team until it was uncovered during data analysis of the 35,000 calls received by the hotline three months later.
The CDC Cambodia and InSTEDD team have agreed to prioritize the rapid aggregation and visualization of hotline call data in an actionable format. It is crucial to acknowledge that this data work is facilitated by a stringent process implemented by the 115 partners to ensure the security and privacy of the hotline callers.
In the current response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the 115 hotline has played a crucial role as the first point of contact for people to report suspicious cases of the disease, access COVID-19 update information, and receive educational messages on prevention methods. Ever since the first case of COVID-19, previously known as coronavirus, was reported in Cambodia, the number of calls to the hotline has dramatically increased. On March 25, 2020, the hotline received an astounding 16,000 calls in just one day.
Thanks to Ending Pandemics for their continued support in containing the epidemic here in Cambodia.