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Bahamas call on Mobile Tornado technology to contain COVID-19

Government House in Nassau

World-leading technology supplied by a Yorkshire company is being used to help ensure the effectiveness of quarantine procedures in the Bahamas as part of the islands’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Mobile Tornado solution gives governments the ability to monitor the self-isolation and symptoms of quarantined individuals through a location-based app. The app is downloaded directly onto mobile devices or ‘pushed’ to individuals remotely.

Authorities use the system to communicate directly with quarantined individuals and check on their condition and care plans, reducing the risk to frontline services. It also allows them to pinpoint their location and add a virtual boundary known as a geofence.

The Government of The Bahamas has been adding all airport arrivals to the service and is monitoring and supporting quarantined individuals through a central command centre, which opened in August. In September, the Government cleared the majority of the country’s islands and cays to resume normal commercial and additional social activities.


Mobile Tornado, part of Harrogate-based Intechnology plc, specialises in instant communications for workforce management. The technology was developed in Israel and has been deployed in more than 30 countries worldwide with mobile operators, governments and enterprises.

Mobile Tornado has a global network of business partners and value-added resellers. Storm Intelligent Communications, also part of Intechnology plc, is the UK reseller.

Luke Wilkinson, founding director of Storm, said: “Our world-leading technology helps authorities to ensure the effectiveness of quarantine policies and reduce the spread of COVID-19. The simple and scalable solution reduces the pressure on state resources and allows governments to limit lockdown restrictions for the majority.”

According to the World Health Organisation, quarantine aims to delay the introduction of the disease to a country or area or may delay the peak of an epidemic in an area where local transmission is ongoing, or both. An Oxford University study from April 2020 found the effectiveness of quarantine during a viral outbreak relies in part on the ability of individuals to follow quarantine procedures.