Spatiotemporal patterns using geographical analysis and cartography can help identify the hotspot and cold spots of any pandemic including the Covid-19 in the country, according to a major study conducted by an Omani scientist.
The breakthrough study revealed that the technique could also facilitate the spread and effects of the pandemic using spatial modelling remote sensing techniques in Oman and 21 cities in the Middle East.
The innovative research projects of the Covid-19 Research Programme of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation carried out by Dr Khalifa al Kindi, Assistant Professor of the Unesco Chair on Aflaj Studies at the University of Nizwa, along with a group of researchers from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS) Nizwa, explored the development of the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) model and its relation to the Covid-19 pandemic with his research project ‘Spatiotemporal patterns of the spread and effects of the emerging Covid-19.
Speaking to the Observer, Dr Al Kindi, Principal Investigator (PI), said his team aimed to develop a real-time Geographical Information Systems (GIS) data model for the Spatio-temporal prediction of Covid-19 hotspots in the Sultanate of Oman through this research project.
“Our study aimed at developing a GIS real-time dashboard for the cartography of hotspots
and cold spots of Covid-19, managing data of Covid-19 using GIS real-time dashboard based on Omani health sentinel observations,” said the principal researcher.
For him, the study should also help predict Covid-19 hotspots, monitor the disease origins and its contagion movements, and develop multi-factors correlations with Covid-19 based on environmental, demographic and socioeconomic data.
