Hubbcat: The New App to Monitor Suspected COVID-19 Cases
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The app will help to limit violations of home quarantine and isolation
The government signed a contract for a new app that monitors individuals in home quarantine and isolation.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Health Advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Merceline Dahl Regis said the app called Hubbcat will provide healthcare workers with 24 hours surveillance of COVID-19 home isolation cases.
“The mobile app is simple and easy to use. It is a 24-hour monitoring service for all those in home quarantine and isolation. It provides geo-fencing capabilities, with preprogrammed virtual boundaries around the properties or dwelling structures of those in quarantine and isolation.”
Health workers revealed that they lost contact with twelve individuals in home quarantine at the end of their 14-day quarantine, as some individuals gave fictitious names so as not to be traced.
At the press conference on Friday, Dr. Dahl Regis admitted the failure by health workers to monitor such individuals.
“At present time, the Ministry of Health has on record, a contact tracing success rate of 98.8 percent and a failure rate of 1.2 percent.
Dr. Dahl Regis said Hubbcat will broadcast alerts when there is a breach of the virtual boundaries and give real-time tracking, as law enforcement officials monitor the system.
“When an alert is signaled, the Ministry of Health and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force will visit the premises, she said.”
Dr. Dahl Regis said the app will also give health workers the ability to monitor individuals who fall ill with COVID-19 while in quarantine and isolation.
The information provided by registered individuals will be anonymous, Dr. Dahl Regis stated.
She reiterated that those who breach the quarantine and isolation protocol will be heavily penalized with a fine of $20,000, jail time of up to 5 years, or both.
