More than 30 million smartphone users have downloaded Bluezone. (Photo: VNA)

More than 30 million smartphone users had downloaded Bluezone, a locally-developed app that helps determine if a person has come in contact with a COVID-19 patient, as of 11:30 am on March 2.

The figure is 11,000 higher than that on March 1, and over 5.2 million higher than that on January 28 when the third outbreak wave started in the country, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Central Da Nang city takes the lead nationwide in the rate of smartphone users downloading the app, with 42.3 percent of the locality’s population. It is followed by the northern province of Hai Duong, the capital city of Hanoi and the northern province of Quang Ninh.

At present, over 30 million Bluezone users can make online health declarations on this app.

In addition, people can also inform authorized offices of cases suspected to be infected with COVID-19 via the app.

Currently, Vietnam has basically put the pandemic under control. However, people are recommended to continue installing and using Bluezone continuously to help trace any possible contacts with COVID-19 patients accurately.

Developed by tech firm Bkav, the app uses Bluetooth Low Energy, a wireless personal area network technology, to link smartphones within a two-meter distance.

It helps health authorities quickly track those who had close contact with virus carriers, and alert them about the risk of infection.

The app is completely confidential, anonymous, and transparent, as it only stores data on the user’s phone and does not transfer a user’s information or locations to the system.

The development of Bluezone was overseen by MIC and the Ministry of Health (MoH). It was launched on April 18.

Vietnam aims to have 50 million downloads of Bluezone, which is hoped to become an useful tool to help the health sector control the pandemic, and protect smartphone users from the disease.  VNA

Bluezone becomes top-downloaded app again

After community cases of Covid-19 infection appeared in Vietnam on January 28, many people have downloaded and used the Bluezone application.