Health Protection Agency (HPA) has launched a digital app 'TraceEkee' to help in tracing contacts of potential positive cases of COVID-19.
The app was developed by Maldivian software developers based on the App “Open Trace” library of Singapore. The app supports Dhivehi, English, and Bengali language.
The app detects other users of the app through Bluetooth signals. A “beacon” is given out thrice a minute, and a unique ID that resets every 15 minutes is assigned to each user. Therefore, app users will be anonymous to other users. Once a beacon is detected “TraceEkee” App will record the data.
However, the information will not be automatically sent to the health authorities, and it does not record any personal information such as the location. Additional information about the app's privacy policy is provided on HPA’s website.
HPA said if a user of the app develops symptoms of COVID-19, the authority will seek the user's consent to upload the user data to trace people who had come in contact with the user. Data decryption will reveal those who came in contact with the user and identify those who are at most risk, who will then be contacted by HPA.
Similar apps are being used in other countries as well. The reliability of the data generated by the app depends on the number of people who use the app. HPA urged the public to use the app to generate valid and reliable data, especially those who need to be out and about for various purposes.
A snapshot of the homepage of the TraceEkee App
