Celebrations after China deactivates Covid contact-tracing app

A woman collects Covid-19 antigen test kits from a worker at a pharmacy in Beijing last week. Photo / AP

China will today deactivate one of its contact-tracing apps in yet another step towards relaxing its zero-Covid policy following protests last month.

The mobile app that identified travellers who had been to Covid-stricken areas has collected a huge amount of personal information and Liu Xing-liang, a researcher at the ministry of information technology, said it would be deleted in a “timely manner”.

In some cases, people were marked as having been to risky districts or cities even if they passed through by car or rail.

The news was celebrated on social media with many Chinese citizens posting screenshots of their last logins.

”Bye bye, this announces the end of an era, and also welcomes a brand new one,” one person wrote online.

”Goodbye itinerary card, concerts here I come,” wrote another.

However, several of the Chinese government’s similar tracking programs remain in use and each province still has a separate contact-tracing app.

Meanwhile, the number of people seeking emergency care is surging in Beijing, with more than 22,000 patients visiting hospitals across the city on Sunday - 16 times the number a week ago.

”The current trend of the rapid spread of the epidemic in Beijing still exists,” a city health commission spokesman said yesterday.

Overall infections, as reported by the Chinese government, dropped from 17,000 to about 8,600 yesterday.

The actual figure is likely to be much higher as some people who are testing positive with mild symptoms are refusing to report to the authorities as the new rules mean they are not sure what to expect if they get sick.