An AI solution to a COVID problem

Written by Kaylee Stella Harris MBChB III & Mayuri Ramnarain MBChB IV

Figure 1 ⁽¹⁾

• In late December 2019, news of a flu-like illness emerged from Wuhan, China. Since then, the Covid-19 pandemic has erupted, spreading to all four corners of the globe.² The rapid distribution of the virus has made tracking cases and surveillance of outbreaks a logistical nightmare. This is where Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) became key in the fight against the pandemic.

• Big Data consists of three main concepts, including velocity, volume and variety, that contribute to its effectiveness. Big Data is used as a “real-time” tracker of the disease outbreak, and in combination with AI, can be used as an “enhanced surveillance system”. An example of this is the Canadian start-up company, BlueDot. This AI has led to breakthroughs in a number of short-term uses such as quick pandemic alerts, advanced tracking and diagnostic methods.³

• For example, BlueDot uses an AI-driven algorithm that searches all news reports, blogs, forums and official statements on diseases in 65 different languages so at to alert their clients to outbreaks such as the one in Wuhan. Also, BlueDot has access to data regarding airline ticketing which can forecast where infected residents are going. Within days of the first appearance of the virus in Wuhan it correctly predicted that it would spread from Wuhan to Bangkok, Seoul, Taipei, and Tokyo.

• Human analysis is then used to assess the automated data-sifting and then epidemiologists verify the results from a scientific point of view, and these reports are made available to governments, businesses, and public health providers.

Figure 2 ⁵: The BlueDot Insights program

• AI and big data also lend themselves to medium-term applications such as finding an effective pharmacological treatment plan, whether it be through exploiting or modifying broad-spectrum anti-virals, or using other types of therapeutic medications. AI helps physicians to swiftly communicate the effectiveness of these treatments from patient to physician and between medical professionals around the world. Moreover, this method is also used to update information on potential vaccines. In addition, AI is useful in public healthcare interventions.

• The future and long-term uses of AI will incorporate a multi-disciplinary approach in creating cities that are resilient and safe. This aligns with the idea of “smart cities”, which involve activities within a city and its relationship with its surrounding environment – including the medical wellbeing of its inhabitants. It must be stressed that AI and big data are not reliable enough to be utilised alone. The input of epidemiologists, medical scientists and clinicians is imperative in order for this technology to be effective. The field of AI and big data holds much promise for the future of medicine, and have already proven to be powerful tools in battling the COVID-19 pandemic.³⁺

Use the following University of Pretoria library link to read the full article: https://UnivofPretoria.on.worldcat.org/oclc/8587798225

Bibliography

1. Marr B. The Vital Role Of Big Data In The Fight Against Coronavirus [Internet]. Forbes. 2020 [cited 2021 Jan 12]. Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/04/09/the-vital-role-of-big-data-in-the-fight-against-coronavirus/?sh=28aef2e73806
2. Muralidar S, Ambi SV, Sekaran S, Krishnan UM. The emergence of COVID-19 as a global pandemic: Understanding the epidemiology, immune response and potential therapeutic targets of SARS-CoV-2. Biochimie. 2020 Dec;179:85–100.
3. Bragazzi NL, Dai H, Damiani G, Behzadifar M, Martini M. Item Details Page for How Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Can Help Better Manage the COVID-19 Pandemic. [Internet]. univofpretoria.on.worldcat.org. 2020 [cited 2020 Dec 14]. Available from: https://UnivofPretoria.on.worldcat.org/oclc/8587798225
4. Niiler E. An AI Epidemiologist Sent the First Warnings of the Wuhan Virus: Wired; 2020 [Available from: https://www.wired.com/story/ai-epidemiologist-wuhan-public-health-warnings/
5. BlueDot Insights: Your near real-time infectious disease surveillance system [Internet]. BlueDot. 2020 [cited 2021 Jan 12]. Available from: https://bluedot.global/products/insights/