New Zealand launches app to help people track movements

New Zealand launches app to help people track movements

New Zealand will launch a contact-tracing app on Wednesday to help people track their movements as the country eases one of the world's most rigid lockdowns designed to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Edward Baran reports.

As New Zealand eases one of the world's most rigid COVID-19 lockdowns, the country's announced it will launch a contact tracing app.

It's designed to help people track their movements.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the app can be best described as a 'digital diary' to help people record their personal movements.

Adding that the data would not be shared to anyone else besides the user.

"This is around what I would describe as a digital diary, helping users when they're out and about keep a log of their own movements, for instance, between cafes and restaurants.

That's obviously something that those businesses are doing themselevs.

But this is away that people can do it, that keeps the data for themselves." New Zealand slightly eased curbs in late April and moved to 'level 2' in its scale of alert last week, which allowed cafes, shops, restaurants and other public spaces to re-open under strict social distancing rules.

Twenty-one people have died of COVID-19 since the outbreak was first reported in the Pacific nation - like neighbouring Australia it has largely avoided high casualties.