A resident in a car scans a QR code to register his health information at the entrance to his community in Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone. CHINA DAILY

Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone is taking advantage of its well-developed information system to battle the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia.

The zone, in cooperation with Weifang Software Park Service Center and Weifang Big Data Center, released an online health reporting system on Feb 4.Through the system, residents can report their health condition online every day, which will help the local government's virus prevention work.

According to the system's developer, users fill in their personal information, residential address, family member information, travel history and basic household information during first use. It then takes just 30 seconds every day to report their health condition.

To attract more residents to use the system, the zone is using information distribution channels including television broadcasts and official WeChat accounts to inform locals about it.

The official WeChat account of the zone's publicity department, named Weifang Hi-Tech Media, released a notice on Feb 4 to guide locals on using the system. The notice drew more than 100,000 clicks in a short period, according to local officials.

The zone has also established WeChat groups for individual residential communities to keep every resident in contact.

Government staff members and community workers are required to contact householders to double-check their residential information so every resident in a community can receive notices about the online health condition reporting system.

In Xincheng subdistrict, a total of 449 WeChat groups were established in just one day to include all residents in 228 residential communities. Those WeChat groups ensure residents can report their health conditions actively and efficiently, according to local officials.

For residents who failed to make the first report on time, community workers would visit their homes to assistant them, according to the zone.

"Our system recorded a peak at 3 pm on Feb 4. More than 40,000 people made reports in an hour," said Wang Shuaishuai, director of research and development at Weifang Hi-Tech Zone Information System Development, Operation and Maintenance.

Guo Ping, board chairman of Weifang Hi-Tech Zone Information System Development, Operation and Maintenance, said: "We will continue to upgrade our system to serve people's varying demands. For instance, the system will allow people to fix false information. Special demand from certain communities will also be served."

Yin Tingting contributed to this story.