Few Manitobans using COVID Alert App to report testing positive: data

Few Manitobans are using the federal COVID Alert App to report testing positive for the virus, according to the province.

According to a provincial spokesperson, since the app launched in Manitoba on Oct. 1, 614 keys have been generated for COVID-19 positive cases, and 467 people actually entered those keys into the app to report testing positive and alert close contacts.

On Oct. 1, Manitoba had 2,029 cases of COVID-19. As of Nov. 24, there were 14,558 cases — over 12,000 cases have been added since the app launched in the province.

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“Public health officials offer the key as part of the script used when contacting an individual to notify them of a positive test result,” a provincial spokesperson wrote in an email. “Use of the key is reliant upon the individual: A) having previously downloaded the app and B) electing to enter their key into the app.”

Nationwide, more than 5.4 million Canadians have downloaded the COVID Alert App as of Nov. 22, and 5,835 people entered a one-time key into the app to report testing positive, according to Health Canada.

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People living in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island can use the COVID Alert App to report testing positive.

In other provinces and territories, you can download the app to be alerted if you’ve come into close contact with a positive COVID-19 case from a reporting province or territory, but you can’t use the app to report testing positive.

The province is encouraging everyone in Manitoba to download the federal COVID Alert App.