Health Minister Robin Swann has urged anyone who receives a positive test result for COVID-19 to use the digital self-trace option for contact tracing.
The Minister was speaking during a visit to County Hall, Ballymena along with Junior Minister Gary Middleton to see at first hand the Public Health Agency’s (PHA) Contact Tracing Service (CTS).
While there Ministers met and thanked staff involved in the delivery of the service during what has been a period of extremely high service demand.
Minister Swann said: “The alarming increase in case numbers in recent days and weeks should serve as a clear warning that this pandemic is far from over. Only through continuing vigilance and our collective effort will we get through this - we all want to enjoy the summer but we must continue do so safely.
“Contact tracing is critically important, and is at the forefront of our continuing efforts to break chains of transmission and the digital self-trace option remains the quickest way to alert close contacts.
“I hear increasing references to a ‘pingdemic’ which is of significant concern to me. This serves only to trivialise the very real dangers that we collectively still face from COVID-19. I do not say this to cause alarm but to remind everyone that we must all continue to play our part in helping to stop the spread of the virus.”