Over 2,000 people in Milton Keynes sent NHS Covid app 'pings' telling them to self-isolate

More than 2,000 isolation alerts were sent to people using the NHS Covid-19 app in Milton Keynes during the first week of July.

Alerts are sent through the NHS Covid app to tell individuals they have been in close contact with a positive coronavirus case.

Anyone alerted has to self-isolate for 10 days.

In Milton Keynes, 2,210 people were pinged in the seven days up to July 7, in England, 520,194 alerts were sent.

Yesterday (Thursday) the UK recorded another 48,553 daily coronavirus cases, in Milton Keynes 176 new cases were recorded.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had previously warned there could be 50,000 cases a day by 19 July - when most legal restrictions are due to end in England.

Social distancing rules are being lifted in England on Monday, leading to concerns about a bigger rise in the number of alerts.

In the seven days to June 30, 1,202 people were 'pinged', in the following week 2,210 people were pinged - an increase of 1008 people (83.9 per cent).

Milton Keynes was ranked 70th nationally - out of 336 councils - for having the most close contact alerts. Leeds was ranked the highest with 9,465 close contact alerts in the seven days up to July 7, and Isles of Scilly was the lowest ranked with 11 close contact alerts.