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Technology Science

New Computer System Helps Slash Cholera Cases in Yemen By Predicting Where Outbreaks Will Occur (bbc.co.uk) 44

Cholera cases in Yemen have been slashed by a new system that predicts where outbreaks will occur. From a report: Last year, there were more than 50,000 new cases in just one week -- this year, the numbers plummeted to about 2,500. The system has enabled aid workers to focus efforts on prevention several weeks in advance of an outbreak -- by monitoring rainfall. It comes as the UN says it is concerned about a possible "third wave" of the epidemic. The deployment of the technology has been coordinated by the UK's Department for International Development. [...] The UK's overseas aid department has worked with the Met Office to develop a system that predicts where cholera will occur four weeks ahead of time.

The Met Office produces a rainfall forecast for Yemen. Using its supercomputers, it is to determine the specific amount of rain that will fall and pinpoint the areas it will hit within a 10km (six-mile) radius. These are important because downpours overwhelm the sewerage system and spread the infection. The forecasts are used in conjunction with a computer model developed by Prof Rita Colwell, at the University of Maryland, and Dr Antar Jutla, at West Virginia University. Together, this information enables scientists to predict the areas most likely to experience an outbreak, up to four weeks in advance.

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New Computer System Helps Slash Cholera Cases in Yemen By Predicting Where Outbreaks Will Occur

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  • These are important because downpours overwhelm the sewerage system

    Sooo, I am guessing the parameters of Yemeni sewage system are also in the model?

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by rtb61 ( 674572 )

      No the Yemeni hospitals in the defined zone are targeted by US satellites for the Saudi's to blow up with US and UK arms and munitions as a way to guarantee, really pissed of Yemeni will keep that war going pretty much for ever. If the is a war, the USA will be there, selling the tools of their apparently preferred trade, which takes precedence of infrastructure, education, health, even you lives. Think they will blame those cholera deaths on God, oh no, 100% Saudi and USA fault and nearly every family suff

  • by Anonymous Coward

    Stop bombing them.

  • Prevention (Score:5, Insightful)

    by manu0601 ( 2221348 ) on Monday August 27, 2018 @08:05PM (#57207244)
    A cheap way to prevent many problems in Yemen would be to stop bombing it.
    • Just like a slightly more expensive way to prevent many problems in Yemen would be bomb it out completely?
  • by rsilvergun ( 571051 ) on Monday August 27, 2018 @08:14PM (#57207302)
    ending the blockade. You know, the one by the Saudis being done with the weapons we sold them...
    • We're probably selling some weapons to Yemen as well. Not officially (the Saudis wouldn't like that) of course, but we'll avert our eyes just enough for the right gun runners to get through.

      You would think that the U.S. would have figured out that we don't need to get involved in expensive overseas conflicts we have little chance of winning. It's far easier to let the locals who've hated each other for generations take care of it for us while we sell them the means to do it.
      • You would think that the U.S. would have figured out that we don't need to get involved in expensive overseas conflicts we have little chance of winning. It's far easier to let the locals who've hated each other for generations take care of it for us while we sell them the means to do it.

        The problem is congress. We send all kinds of intelligence agents to literally every country in the world and then congress ignores what they come back to tell us about what the upcoming threats are, or how we can best handle the problems.

  • The software did not lead to the drop in cholera cases.

    Last year there was a cholera outbreak in Yemen. So far there hasn’t been one this year, but officials are concerned there could be - so they’re using this software tool to hopefully predict and head off new outbreaks before they happen.

  • by mveloso ( 325617 ) on Monday August 27, 2018 @09:23PM (#57207640)

    It seems that while this is a pretty good band-aid, a better solution would be to fix the sewer system for the new peaks.

    • You should be aware that right now the Saudis are bombing Yemen into the stone age because they want a government that the Saudis don't like.
      The Saudis are using weapons the US sold them. (Also France and the UK).
      There is no point fixing the sewers.
    • fix the sewers? why, did something happen to them like getting blown apart with american-made bombs? even after the us so helpfully pointed out civilian infrastructure to the saudis so they know where not to bomb?

  • It's hard to take any article about a 'computer system' seriously when it doesn't repeatedly stress how it was AI, quantum computing, or blockchains that actually made it work. /s

Cobol programmers are down in the dumps.

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