India uses massive mobile phone network to combat coronavirus

An Indian man wearing a mask talking on his mobile phone at a government run hospital where a special ward has been set aside for possible Covid-19 patients in Kolkata, India. Telecommunications operators were ordered to play the health ministry-approved message from Sunday, which relayed advice on how to help stop the spread of the virus. — AP

NEW DELHI: India is using its massive mobile phone network to spread coronavirus awareness messages, kicking off with coughing sounds, on how to protect against the outbreak, officials said March 9.

India, the world's second-most populous nation with 1.3 billion people, has 1.1 billion mobile phone connections. The South Asia giant has so far reported 43 positive cases of the contagious disease.