As virus cases continue to increase, NHS COVID app alerts have jumped by more than 60%

According to the latest contact tracing data, as coronavirus cases continue to rise, the number of exposure alerts sent to users of the NHS Covid-19 app in England has increased by more than 60%.

In the week ending June 30, users of the app in England received a total of 356,036 alerts informing them that they had been in close contact with people who tested positive for the coronavirus.

This is an increase from the previous week’s 219,391 people — a 62% jump — and the highest weekly figure since the data was first released in January, as the government and health officials suggested that self-isolation rules could be adjusted to take into account vaccinations. Number of people.

Dr. Jenny Harris, Director of the UK Health and Security Agency, told the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons on Thursday that efforts are being made to “adjust” the app to make it work in a growing number of vaccinated populations to ensure that it “has a purpose, while Not “because of trouble”.

Ministers have been warned that millions of people may be “tested” by the app or ordered to self-quarantine by testing and tracking. It is expected that the number of infected cases will reach 100,000 per day during the summer.