The sound of coronavirus: Israeli apps helping contain pandemic

A woman checks on her phone the Hamagen (shield) application that was launched earlier this month by the health ministry, in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya. Using geolocation technology, the app informs users about any points of contact with known Covid-19 cases. — AFP

JERUSALEM: One app tells you if you've been in the vicinity of a coronavirus carrier and another aims to assess whether you have Covid-19 based on the sound of your voice.

In Israel, sometimes dubbed the "start-up nation" with nearly 10% of workers employed in high-tech, the coronavirus pandemic has seen a flurry of new technologies designed to contain transmission.