Hungarian App Alerts Strangers After COVID-19 Exposure

Imagine getting a notification that you’ve crossed paths with someone who tested positive for COVID-19—without ever sharing personal details. A new free app called VirusContact, developed by a Hungarian tech team, is making this sci-fi-like scenario a reality .

Using Bluetooth signals, the app anonymously records encounters with other users within 10 meters. If you later test positive, a single tap alerts everyone you’ve been near in the past 14 days. 'This isn’t just about friends or coworkers—it’s about grocery shoppers, bus riders, or anyone you’ve shared space with,' explains CEO Krisztian Werderits.

While the World Health Organization urges caution about privacy and accuracy, Hungarian public health experts praise the tool as a 'game-changer' for community transmission tracking. With 1 in 5 COVID-19 cases spreading through unknown contacts, apps like this could help flatten the curve where traditional contact tracing falls short .

No personal data is stored, and alerts don’t reveal identities—just exposure risk. But will global adoption follow? As countries balance health tech and privacy rights, VirusContact’s bold idea sparks debate: How far should we go to outsmart the pandemic?

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Free app will alert all previous passers-by if you later test positive

cgtn.com