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Drones used in Terengganu, Malaysia to detect high body temperatures in public areas as COVID-19 cases spike

Drones used in Terengganu, Malaysia to detect high body temperatures in public areas as COVID-19 cases spike

The drones can detect body temperatures from as high as 20m above the ground. (Photo: Bernama)

KUALA LUMPUR: Police in Malaysia's Terengganu state are using drones to detect high body temperatures among people in public areas as the country undergoes its third nationwide lockdown

The drones can detect body temperatures from as high as 20m above the ground, said state police chief Rohaimi Md Isa. 

READ: Empty streets, shuttered malls as Malaysia begins third nationwide COVID-19 lockdown

READ: Malaysia’s state governments and private hospitals can buy their own WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines: Khairy 

“If the drone detects an individual with a high body temperature, such as 37.5 degrees Celsius, it will emit a red light and our enforcement personnel will go to the location to identify the symptomatic individual," Rohaimi told reporters on Sunday (Jun 6).

The drones have been deployed for several days and have helped enforcement teams "immensely", said the police chief.

"Although we have 157 standard operating procedure (SOP) monitoring teams, they move from one location to another.

“This makes them unable to monitor every location at once, including detecting symptomatic individuals in public places,” said Rohaimi. 

READ: Malaysia to take part in clinical trial for new COVID-19 vaccine from China

The drones, based in Kuala Terengganu, were loaned to the state by a private company for police use throughout the enforcement of the full lockdown.

In April last year, Terengganu police also used drones to track the movements and temperatures of residents in Dungun during the movement control order (MCO).

Malaysia is currently in a "total lockdown" from Jun 1 until Jun 14 amid a third wave of COVID-19 cases. 

As of Sunday, Malaysia has recorded a total of 616,815 COVID-19 cases and 3,378 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

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