Easily Track COVID-19 Patient Movements... 'CoronaMap' Created by 20s University Student Gains Popularity

A 'Corona Map' that allows tracking the movements of confirmed COVID-19 patients has been released. / Photo by Corona Map capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] An online map called 'Corona Map,' which allows users to check the movement paths of confirmed COVID-19 cases at a glance, has attracted attention since its release.

The map was created by Lee, a college student in his 20s, based on the open-source platform 'OpenStreetMap.' It can be accessed via PC and mobile devices.

On the evening of the 30th of last month, around 10 PM, Lee, the creator of the Corona Map, shared the link to the map through online communities.

The Corona Map displays the movement paths of confirmed cases identified so far in graphic form on a map. These graphics were created based on information released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), and detailed information such as each confirmed case's movement path, number of contacts, and quarantined hospitals is also recorded.

In an interview with JoongAng Ilbo, Lee stated, "I wanted to create a site where official confirmed information is used, but ordinary people can comfortably view the information," explaining his motivation for making the map.

He explained that due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, people are anxious, and since there is a lot of fear-inducing information circulating on social media platforms like YouTube, he decided to create the Corona Map himself.

The Corona Map is known to have spread rapidly through SNS and online communities. After its release, it surpassed 2.4 million views, and on the 1st, the server reportedly went down due to a sudden surge in traffic.