‘Ping’ hotspots: where in Manchester are people being ‘pinged’ most by the Covid app?

Thousands of people are still being ‘pinged’ by the NHS Covid-19 alert app across Manchester despite tweaks to reduce its sensitivity, new figures reveal.

The app, which alerts people when they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, alerted 310,000 people in England in the week ending 4 August, according to the latest NHS data.

The figures are a 20% drop on the previous week’s alerts which had notified 389,000 people to isolate.

The figures come after government officials said the NHS contact alert system app would be tweaked to cause less disruption caused by the so-called ‘pingdemic’.

The changes meant people would be told to self isolate if they have come into contact with an infected person within two days of a positive test, instead of five days, in a bid to limit disruption to services.

Thousands have been told to self isolate in and around Manchester. Across Greater Manchester, 11,672 people were ‘pinged’ between 29 July to 4 August - a drop from 14,296 the week before. It equates to an average of 1,667 notifications a day.

Where are the ping hotspots?

The city of Manchester recorded the highest number of contract tracing alerts - 3,715 from 29 July to 4 August.

Salford was next on 1,552, followed by Stockport on 1,196.

Trafford was fourth with 993 notifications, then Tameside on 926.

Wigan was sixth in Greater Manchester with 893; Oldham on 687; Bolton on 656; Bury on 567 and Rochdale on 487.

The figures for each borough all represented a drop on the previous week.