Smart City Data Hub Platform-based
Temporary operation of the COVID-19 epidemiological investigation support system


COVID-19 epidemiological investigations are expected to become much easier.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that they have developed a 'COVID-19 Epidemiological Investigation Support System' based on the smart city technology 'Smart City Data Hub Platform' and will operate it on a temporary basis starting Monday, March 16.

Currently, the KCDC is identifying the location of outbreaks and transmission routes through in-depth epidemiological investigations, including interviews with confirmed COVID-19 patients. However, as the workload of epidemiological investigators surged due to the large-scale outbreak of confirmed cases in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, the need for a computerized support system to rapidly and accurately analyze large-scale data was raised.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport developed a COVID-19 epidemiological investigation support system by utilizing the Smart City Data Hub currently under research and development in Daegu and Siheung, in consultation with the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on joint R&D technology with the Ministry of Science and ICT.

This system supports the response to COVID-19 by allowing the verification of movement routes and other details on a map, limited to patients confirmed by the KCDC, and utilizing related statistical information.

The KCDC plans to pilot the COVID-19 epidemiological investigation support system starting on the 16th, utilize it within the scope of epidemiological investigations specified in the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act, and operate it temporarily in consideration of the infectious disease crisis response level.

The Smart City Data Hub platform, which serves as the foundation for the COVID-19 epidemiological investigation support system, is a large-scale urban data analysis tool developed through the 'Smart City Innovation Growth Engine R&D ('18~'22)'. It analyzes various big data from different fields within the city, such as transportation, energy, environment, and safety, in real time to create convergent data and implement smart city services.

The three institutions plan to prioritize the application of this system to the COVID-19 response and strengthen support for infectious disease epidemiological investigations in the future.