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Why is Covid spreading so quickly on cruise ships?

Why is Covid spreading so quickly on cruise ships?; Group pregnancy check-ups to help women support each other; Can computers detect our moods by analysing facial expressions?

We hear what could be behind the rapid spread of the coronavirus on board a cruise ship near Japan. Dr Nathalie MacDermott from Kings College, London suggests an investigation should look at the air filtration and sanitation systems and whether a 鈥渄eep-clean鈥� was carried out in communal areas. She also says sheer exhaustion could be behind the rising number of healthcare workers infected in China 鈥� one mistake when removing personal protective equipment could infect them.

A new trial of group check-ups for pregnant women in the UK aims to help them support each other 鈥� as well as receive the best care from midwives. Some women are at risk of giving birth to smaller, premature babies 鈥� and it鈥檚 hoped that the Pregnancy Circles will help to reduce this risk. Our six-months-pregnant reporter Bobbie Lakhera goes along to a session in north London.

Technology companies are developing artificial intelligence to detect our moods so that we can interact with 鈥渧irtual agents鈥� on our computers. But reading facial expressions like humans do is a huge challenge for current technologies. We hear from a leading expert about how the expressions on our faces don鈥檛 always tally with how we are feeling.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Paula McGrath

(Image: Quarantined passengers look out from their balconies on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama. Photo credit: Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images)

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27 minutes

Last on

Mon 24 Feb 2020 03:32GMT

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