More people in Northants using Covid-19 tracking app showing infections in Kettering, Corby, and Wellingborough

The app shows the rate of infection based on what users self-report
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More people in Northamptonshire are using a Covid-19 tracking app helping scientists learn more about the virus and see how it is spreading across the UK.

The scientists behind the Covid Symptom tracker app have been appealing for people to use the app to help them learn more about the virus and how fast it is spreading.

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The project's leader, Dr Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London, said: "The more people who use the app, the better the real-time data we have to combat the crisis in this country."

A Covid-19 tracker app is showing the rate of infection in NorthantsA Covid-19 tracker app is showing the rate of infection in Northants
A Covid-19 tracker app is showing the rate of infection in Northants

There are now 5,269 users in Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and East Northants self-reporting to the app, compared to 4,840 last week.

The increase in users has also changed the data coming out of the app. In Corby, the percentage of people with symptomatic Covid-19 has increased.

There are 855 users in Corby and an estimated 1.8 per cent of people have symptomatic Covid-19.

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Compared to last week, there has been a rise of 0.7 per cent in symptomatic cases in Corby.

This estimate is based on the reports of users to the app. Every day, users are asked if they have had a Covid-19 test. They are then asked how they feel. If users feel unwell, they are asked to report their symptoms.

The app is calculating "symptomatic Covid-19" cases because it is thought some people can contract the virus but do not become that unwell, which is described as an asymptomatic case.

It is also possible some of the symptoms being reported might be caused by other illnesses rather than Covid-19.

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Last week, the Northamptonshire Telegraph reported that the app was showing the rate of infection from users in Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northants.In Kettering there are now 1,551 users and an estimated one per cent of people with symptomatic Covid-19, a decrease of 0.3 per cent compared to last week.

There has also been a decrease in East Northants where 1,770 people are using the app and there is an estimated 0.8 per cent of people with symptomatic Covid-19, which is a fall from last week's estimate of 1.4 per cent.

Wellingborough has 1,093 users reporting to the app and there is an estimated 1.1 per cent of people with symptomatic Covid-19, which is the same as last week.

You can see data from the app here.

The app has been developed by scientists from King's College London (KCL), Guys and St Thomas' Hospitals in London and with ZOE Global Ltd, a health science company.

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You can find it in your smart phone's app store by searching for 'Zoe'.

Once you have the app, you can report for yourself and others.

It is not a diagnostic tool - it has specific research aims, including: "Better understand symptoms of Covid-19, understand how fast the virus is spreading in your area, identify high risk areas in the country, identify who is most at risk by better understanding symptoms linked to health conditions."

On protecting users' data, the developers said: "We take data security very seriously and will handle your data with huge respect. Your data is protected by the European Union's "General Data Protection Regulation" (GDPR). It will only be used for health research and will not be used for commercial purposes."