Thailand hospitals deploy 'ninja robots' to help with coronavirus battle

Taking a cue from China, authorities in Thailand have been deploying 'ninja robots' to measure fever and protect the health of medical workers from the coronavirus outbreak. According to reports, the 'ninja robots' allow doctors to speak to the patients via a video link and they are currently deployed at four locations in and around Bangkok. The ninja robots were first built to monitor recovering stroke patients but the machines are now coming handy in tackling the global pandemic. 

Read: Netizens Are Getting Their Pets To Wear Face Masks On TikTok To Mock Coronavirus Scare

As per reports, Viboon Sangveraphunsiri of Chulalongkorn University told reporters that upgraded models will be designed to bring food and medicine to patients, and could also eventually be used to disinfect hospital wards. Viboon's engineering team is reportedly building more ninja robots to cope up with the demand in these hard times. 

Read: UN: 300 Million Children Missing Out On Free School Meals Due To COVID-19 Closures

Coronavirus outbreak

Thailand, a country of 6.9 crore people, has so far recorded 411 cases of coronavirus, of which 42 patients have recovered fully. The worldometer data shows, Thailand has logged in one death since the virus first broke out in December last year. The total number of active cases in the country as of March 20 stands at 368, of which one patient remains under critical condition. 

Read: NASA Suspends Work On Manned Moon Mission Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

The COVID-19 has claimed more than 11,400 lives across the world and has infected nearly 2,76,000 people globally since it first broke out in December 2019. China is the most affected country in the world as experts believe that the virus originated from a seafood market in Wuhan city, the epicentre of the disease, where animals were reportedly being traded illegally. Italy, Iran and Spain are the most affected countries outside mainland China, where, as of March 20 the combined death toll stands at 6,558. Italy has now surpassed China to record the most number of deaths in the world due to the virus outbreak, while Iran and Spain both crossed the 1,000 mark.

Read: Coronavirus: Kid From Small Village Demonstrates Hand Washing Technique