As thousands continue to die around the world governments of several developing countries are still looking for ways to prevent further infections in spite of weaker health systems and inadequate testing facilities.
Philippine City Utilizes Robots In Disinfection
The summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio City, has started making use of robots to help disinfect a hospital where COVID-19 patients are being treated.
Last week, a robot from Robotic Activations Inc. helped disinfect the halls of Sto. Niño Hospital, while three other robot "nurses" remotely monitored coronavirus patients. The robots also helped deliver medicine to wards.
Before the pandemic Sto. Niño Hospital was idle for about 15 years. When the Philippines' Luzon was locked down earlier this year the hospital's owners offered the facility free for COVID-19 patients.
The hospital has been converted into a 90-bed facility for coronavirus patients with mild symptoms but the government is working to expand it to as many as 250 beds.
In July, the Baguio City government was praised for its contact tracing and response to the pandemic. A delegation from the World Health Organization conducted a field study in the city to identify exceptional measures against the virus.
As of late Sunday the Philippines had 286,743 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4,984 deaths linked to the disease.
India's Mitra Reconnects Patients With Loved Ones
India's popular customer-service robot, Mitra, helped reconnect COVID-19 patients with their loved ones waiting for the patients' treatment to be completed.
Mitra has a tablet computer attached to its chest so coronavirus patients can talk to their loved ones. While Mitra, who was developed by Invento Robotics, is also used for remote consultations with specialists at the Yatharth Super Specialty Hospital, the robot is mainly used to assist patients who can't communicate using mobile phones.
India is the second hardest-hit country in the world after it passed Brazil last week in the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections.
As of Sunday, India had 5,487,580 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 87,909 deaths.
Malaysia Encourages Doctors' Appointments For Pregnant Women
In Malaysia, health experts are encouraging soon-to-be mothers to make sure their antenatal appointments with their doctors are followed through as a precautionary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Government hospital nurse Azura said there had been cases where pregnant Malaysian women were unaware that they had contracted the novel coronavirus - resulting in hospital staff who treated them being quarantined.
Gynecologist and former president of the Malaysian Medical Association Dr. Milton Lum said while there was no evidence pointing to coronavirus complications among women infected with COVID-19 it was still crucial for expecting mothers to take extra precautions during a pandemic.
As of Sunday, Malaysia had recorded 10,219 confirmed coronavirus cases and 130 deaths. Malaysia is among the least affected countries in Southeast Asia.
