With just moments remaining before it was to be officially decommissioned by authorities, the COVIDSafe app has alerted users that there has been a major outbreak of the coronavirus on the ‘Ruby Princess’ cruise ship in Sydney Harbour two years ago. It has advised all close contacts to immediately self-isolate.
“Those in the vicinity of Circular Quay during the outbreak have been sent a text message advising them to isolate until at least the end of March 2020,” a government spokesperson said.
He said the government was now having second thoughts about scrapping the app, given the valuable information in can provide. “This is what the app was designed to do – help us get on top of outbreaks quickly and nip them in the bud before they get out of hand. Who knows what other outbreaks it will be able to pick up?”
At the time of publication the app had identified a second outbreak at the Cedar Meats processing facility in Melbourne.
