COCOA app for COVID-19 contact tracing. (Image via SoraNews24)

COVID-19 app in Japan fails to do its job

The tracking application for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Japan for smartphone users has been malfunctioning since September. As a result, the app failed to give notifications of suspected contact with the people carrying the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Japan's Health Ministry confirmed the news on Wednesday.

Some blamed the update for the app brought the virus to the app, causing it to malfunction. But, the Health Ministry did not elaborate on the root of the matter and promised that by mid-February, the problem will have been fixed. Speaking to the NHK, the Health Minister, Norihisa Tamura, apologized to the Japanese people for not being able to keep their trust and for the major inconvenience.

Furthermore, NHK elaborated that the bug in the application disrupted 30 percent of Android phone users. The app, Contact-Confirming Application (COCOA) was designed by Microsoft Corp, developed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and is available for both Apple devices on App Store and Android devices on Play Store. According to the Health Ministry, COCOA has been downloaded nearly 25 million times in Japan and has recorded nearly 10,000 positive COVID-19 cases as well.

The app relies on a Bluetooth signal to catch contact with nearby users in the recent 15 minutes or more. Should the user be tested positive for COVID-19, then it will be easier to do contact-tracking with COCOA. Now, the bug, happening on Android devices, failed to deliver the information of the contacts.

Source: https://bit.ly/2MyofYj