Researchers at Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) in Aracatuba, Brazil, have developed a computational tool that functions like a 'COVID-19 accelerometer' that shows the rate at which growth is accelerating or slowing down in over 200 countries and territories. The online tool, available free of charge, automatically loads the latest notified case numbers from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and applies mathematical modeling techniques to assess the current stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in each country. 

Professor of Veterinary Medicine at the UNESP, Yuri Tani Utsunomiya, said that the tool democratises access to information and helps public health authorities and policymakers see whether measures to slow down the infections are working effectively.