This archive report was first published on 14 May 2020.
As the world grapples with the deadly Coronavirus, Kenya is among the countries deploying innovative technologies to control and stop its spread.
With 758 Covid-19 cases, Kenya is tapping the use of thermal imaging cameras to surveil people's body temperatures as a tactic to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, a strategy that has shown promise in reducing crime and traffic congestion in the past.
According to the Kenya Police Service, the use of surveillance cameras in 2014 led to a 46 percent drop in crime in Nairobi in its first year, from 2014 to 2015.
Chinese technology giant HikVision was the first to pioneer the use of temperature detecting cameras to deal with the Coronavirus, deploying the technology widely in China early this year.
Thermal cameras can pick out sick people in a crowd by finding those who have elevated temperatures using both thermal and optic technology, says Peter Ngare, technical director at Secure Digital Limited.
The technology has been proven to be efficient in areas with large populations like factories, markets, and streets, according to Delano Kiilu, who works with the Protective and Safety Association of Kenya.
At Nairobi West Hospital, the technology has reduced contact between personnel and visitors, says Medical Director Andrew Kanyi.
With the technology able to detect temperatures in just one second, reducing congestion and the risk of infection from physical contact, the government is being urged to recommend its use as the country moves to reopen the economy.
The technology has been widely used in the United States, South Africa, and Europe with positive results, says Ngare.
