In the fight against COVID-19, researchers at Colorado State University have developed a new, non-invasive strategy to identify areas at greatest risk for spreading the disease.
In the fight against COVID-19, researchers at Colorado State University have developed a new, non-invasive strategy to identify areas at greatest risk for spreading the disease.
Led by Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Edwin Chong, the team is drawing on data from existing cellular wireless networks to pinpoint potential hotspots for increased viral transmission.
Their technique, detailed in a paper published this month in the IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology, could help regions manage risks to avoid scenarios like the recent outbreak in New York City, where the virus inflicted devastation on one of the most densely populated areas in the country.
Coronavirus and crowds
Knowing that COVID-19 is easily spread by individuals in close proximity, Chong and his team developed a method that helps them identify the most crowded areas with hustle and bustle, such as a city center, where asymptomatic carriers have a higher probability of coming into close contact with large numbers of healthy people.
Read more at Colorado State University
Image: Edwin Chong, professor of electrical and computer engineering, Colorado State University. (Credit: Colorado State University)
