China to track coronavirus with QR codes, seeks help from Alibaba and Tencent

Alipay, the payment app operated by Alibaba's financial division Ant Financial, released a feature in collaboration with the government that assigns a coloured QR code representing the health of residents in Hangzhou

Josh Horwitz
Updated17 Feb 2020, 05:08 PM IST
The novel coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan, China, on 31 December
The novel coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan, China, on 31 December

China's government is enlisting the help of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd to expand colour-based systems for tracking individuals affected with the coronavirus nationwide.

On Wednesday, Alipay, the payment app operated by Alibaba's financial division Ant Financial, released a feature in collaboration with the government that assigns a coloured QR code representing the health of residents in Hangzhou.

Users in the city fill out an online form reporting their ID number, whether they have travelled outside Hangzhou recently, and any symptoms they might have that suggest an illness, such as fever or a heavy cough.

After filling out the questionnaire, users receive a colour-based QR-code, a type of barcode, on their mobile phones indicating their health status.

Users with a red code are instructed to remain quarantined for 14 days and provide regular check-ins via DingTalk, a workplace chat app also run by Alibaba.

Users with a yellow code are instructed to stay inside for 7 days, while users with a green code may travel freely.

State media reports describe the system as a tool to be deployed at travel checkpoints, such as train stations or highways. It's also being used at the neighbourhood level.

Two Hangzhou residents told Reuters that their apartment complexes have asked to view their QR codes as they enter the building. Another Hangzhou resident told Reuters that she was asked to show her QR code before entering the local supermarket.

On Sunday, Alipay announced it is working with the government to take the service nationwide.

Tencent, makers of the popular messaging app WeChat, announced a similar QR-code based tracking feature on Saturday, in collaboration with a division of China's National Development and Reform Council (NDRC).

In a social media post published Saturday, the company said the system is currently in use in the southern city of Shenzhen and will soon be deployed across the greater Guangdong province.

The measures come as the Chinese government takes unprecedented measures to control the movement of people to curb the spread of the virus.

Localities are increasingly relying on neighbourhood committees, often at the level of residential compounds, to track infections.

Enforcement has been patchy and inconsistent - some buildings will prevent individuals from outside cities from entering, others prevent all non-residents from entering.

Local security guards often record an entrant's temperature using a pen and paper.


Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.

MoreLess
First Published:17 Feb 2020, 05:08 PM IST
Business NewsNewsWorldChina to track coronavirus with QR codes, seeks help from Alibaba and Tencent

Get Instant Loan up to ₹10 Lakh!

  • Employment Type

    Most Active Stocks

    ITC share price

    480.85
    10:47 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    0.8 (0.17%)

    Infosys share price

    1,801.55
    10:47 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    47.75 (2.72%)

    Larsen & Toubro share price

    3,592.65
    10:47 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    17.25 (0.48%)

    Tata Steel share price

    150.15
    10:47 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    -2.15 (-1.41%)
    More Active Stocks

    Market Snapshot

    • Top Gainers
    • Top Losers
    • 52 Week High

    Eclerx Services share price

    3,244.50
    10:40 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    212.6 (7.01%)

    Deepak Fertilisers & Petrochemicals Corporation share price

    1,379.65
    10:40 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    58.85 (4.46%)

    National Aluminium Company share price

    233.50
    10:41 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    -1.5 (-0.64%)

    Suven Pharmaceuticals share price

    1,315.60
    10:39 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    -17.5 (-1.31%)
    More from 52 Week High

    Hindustan Zinc share price

    516.80
    10:40 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    -42.65 (-7.62%)

    Triveni Engineering & Indus share price

    400.25
    10:41 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    -17 (-4.07%)

    Timken India share price

    3,311.00
    10:39 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    -109.15 (-3.19%)

    Titan Company share price

    3,139.20
    10:41 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    -93.85 (-2.9%)
    More from Top Losers

    Dixon Technologies (India) share price

    15,713.00
    10:41 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    1317 (9.15%)

    Supreme Industries share price

    4,695.00
    10:40 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    327.65 (7.5%)

    Eclerx Services share price

    3,244.50
    10:40 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    212.6 (7.01%)

    Kaynes Technology India share price

    5,672.15
    10:41 AM | 6 NOV 2024
    355.45 (6.69%)
    More from Top Gainers

    Recommended For You

      More Recommendations

      Gold Prices

      • 24K
      • 22K
      Bangalore
      80,255.000.00
      Chennai
      80,261.000.00
      Delhi
      80,413.000.00
      Kolkata
      80,265.000.00

      Fuel Price

      • Petrol
      • Diesel
      Bangalore
      102.92/L0.00
      Chennai
      100.80/L0.00
      Kolkata
      104.95/L0.00
      New Delhi
      94.77/L0.00

      Popular in News

        HomeMarketsPremiumInstant LoanMint Shorts