New portal to spread African COVID-19 stories: The Standard

Business
Various stakeholders have started different programs and initiatives to augment what authorities are doing

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the global economy in a manner that was never anticipated. Authorities all over the world have implemented drastic measures aimed at containing the spread of the pandemic.  The vulnerable segments of society have borne the brunt of the containment measures, and poor nations, and in Africa in particular, are struggling to implement measures that involve maintaining recommended social distancing. This situation poses real challenges in ensuring infections in Africa do not reach the epic proportions witnessed elsewhere in the world.   Various stakeholders have started different programs and initiatives to augment what authorities are doing in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 contagion. Pathways International has unveiled an Africacentric COVID-19 data portal which tells the COVID-19 narrative in Africa using data obtained from Johns

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Hopkins University (JHU), World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Worldometer. The portal  www.covid19datacenter.com  serves hard COVID-19 data aggregated to provide a broader African context, and disaggregated for local focus as well.    Carefully selected interactive visual elements are used to communicate insights and patterns in the spread of the pandemic in Africa. It provides a decision support basis for users and authorities when determining the most effective interventions and areas of focus in the containment efforts and creates the desirable awareness which indeed is the best defense against COVID-19.    “We believe data and Artificial Intelligence can complement COVID-19 awareness efforts and help authorities and stakeholders to direct resources towards initiatives with the promise of the greatest desirable impact in Africa.” 

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