Coronavirus pandemic: Italy releases voluntary contact tracing app

Italy on June 1 launched a voluntary contact tracing app that will help authorities monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to the Italian Health Ministry, the Immuni app was developed in compliance with Italian and European legislation on the protection of privacy. The app is now available for download on Apple Store and Google Play. 

Read: Apple, Google Look To Uphold Privacy In View Of Contact Tracing Apps Amid COVID Outbreak

"Having the app now will allow you to trace the contacts that may have exposed a person to the risk of contagion. Regional health services will gradually be able to trigger app alerts. The regions of Abruzzo, Liguria, Marche, and Puglia will begin on Monday 8 June," the health ministry said in a press release. 

Read: UK Govt On Equipment, Contact Tracing App

"Immuni serves mobile phone users to receive notification of any exposure to Coronavirus. In the whole system of the app there are neither names nor other elements that can trace the identity of the positive person or of those who have had contact with her, but alphanumeric codes. The use of the application, voluntary, has the purpose of increasing safety in the recovery phase of activities," the ministry added further. 

Read: France's Virus Tracing App Ready To Go, Parliament To Vote

COVID-19 in Italy

Italy, which was the worst affected country in Europe for a long time, recorded 178 new COVID-19 cases on June 1. There are currently 41,367 active cases in the country of which 34,844 are in home isolation, 6,099 are hospitalized with symptoms and 424 are in intensive care, said the health ministry in its daily report on coronavirus. Ever since the beginning of the health emergency, Italy has registered 2,33,197 confirmed cases and 33,475 deaths, while 1,58,355 people have been successfully healed. 

Read: EU Warns Govts Against Using Virus-tracing Apps For Surveillance Over Privacy Breach Fear

(Image Credit: AP)