Health Ministry: COVID-19 mobile app updated

CAIRO - 29 May 2020: Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed announced new updates on the Sehet Misr (Egypt’s health) mobile application that was launched on April 14.

In a statement released Thursday, Zayed said the move comes as part of the health ministry’s keenness to facilitate procedures for citizens, provide the best medical service to those with coronavirus symptoms, and raise people’s awareness about how to avoid getting infected.

A new service was added to the application as regards reporting suspected COVID-19 cases, the minister said, noting that everyone can now report their own cases or those of any other person with coronavirus symptoms via pressing “Report” on the app.

The citizen will then be asked to answer some questions that determine the infection possibility, she added.

Health Ministry Spokesman Khaled Megahed said the cases are sorted according to their responses to the questions.

Authorities then contact the reported cases to be taken to hospital or self-isolated at home depending on their symptoms, the spokesman said, noting that any reported cases’ data becomes directly linked to the ministry’s operations room.

Megahed noted that the application also includes a map for all hospitals that provide medical care for coronavirus patients across the country.

By turning on-location services, the app can send alerts to users whenever they are close to a location where coronavirus cases or quarantine centers are present to help them take necessary precautions to avoid infection, he said.