'Coronaitda'... Website Informing About High-Risk Areas Gains Attention

Sites providing information related to COVID-19, such as 'Coronaitda,' are gaining popularity. / Photo by 'Coronaitda' site capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] As concerns about infection grow amid the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), websites providing related information are gaining popularity.

On the 21st, the site "CORONAITA," which informs users about locations visited by confirmed COVID-19 patients and risk levels, experienced a surge in traffic that caused some functions to become disabled.

The site developers explained on social networking services (SNS) that "the search function was disabled due to a surge in users," adding, "The daily Kakao search limit was reached faster than expected because of the simultaneous increase in users. We will resolve this as quickly as possible and return."

"CORONAITA" is a site based on data provided by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), allowing users to identify the number of confirmed cases, their movement paths, and elapsed time at specific locations.

The site informs users of the infection risk level at searched locations using five categories: "Very Safe," "Safe," "Slightly Anxious," "Anxious," and "Very Anxious." It also provides information on places visited and dates stayed by confirmed COVID-19 patients within 10 km of the searched location.

This site has gained high popularity as COVID-19 cases rapidly increase. It recorded over one million visitors by the 20th.

As anxiety about COVID-19 grows, interest in websites offering such services is also rising.

Previously, a netizen created and released "Corona Map," a map site based on KCDC data that allows users to track confirmed patients' movement routes, quarantine locations, and numbers of confirmed and symptomatic individuals.

On the 1st of last month, four developers from the programming education club "Meotjaeng-i Sajacheoreom" (Like a Stylish Lion) released the "Corona Alimi" map, which also attracted attention. Like "Corona Map," this site enables users to view areas visited by confirmed patients at a glance.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.