A mobile app has been launched in North Macedonia that aims to trace exposure from potentially infected persons and therefore control the spread of COVID-19.
StopKorona was developed by the government using best global practices for the prevention and control of the disease. It works by detecting the distance between mobile devices through the use of Bluetooth technology. The app aims to provide a quick response to healthcare authorities regarding people that have been in close proximity with an infected person within a 14-day time frame.
Citizens are encouraged to install the app and have it running in the background. If a user is diagnosed with COVID-19, the Ministry of Health will request that they share recent app entries. This allows them to detect phone numbers and contact those who have been in close contact with the infected person within the incubation period.
The website states that data is encrypted and anonymised and the privacy of citizens is protected.
North Macedonia has a total of 974 cases of Coronavirus. 45 people have died, 98 have recovered and 15 are in a critical condition.
