THE UK Government is "optimistic" people will download a phone app to trace the spread of coronavirus, but has conceded the task to get the contact tracing system running remains "significant".
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said he thought the "vast majority" of people would download the app and "play their part" - though insisted it was just one element of the plan to stop the spread.
Contact tracing will be central to the Government's efforts in slowing the spread of coronavirus, and will involve alerting people who have been in contact with an infected person and asking them to self-isolate.
It has been used extensively in South Korea, Hong Kong and Germany, where outbreaks have been contained more quickly.
The Government intends to use an app and a phone team to carry out the tracing.
READ MORE: Latest coronavirus figures show 11,927 positive cases in Scotland
Jenrick told the daily Downing Street press conference: "Contact tracing will rely on all of us in society playing our part but I'm optimistic about the prospects for that.
"This has been a national effort so far - if you think of the different measures that we've brought forward, the restrictions, the vast majority of people have got behind it and I think that they will do again when we are able to launch the app on a national scale."
The number of people who have died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Friday rose to 28,131, up by 621.
The death toll has edged closer to that of Italy, which now stands at 28,710 and is the highest in Europe, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
And the number of daily tests both concluded and sent out in the last 24 hours dropped to 105,937.
Of those, the number of people tested also fell - down to 63,667.
READ MORE: Matt Hancock accused of inflating virus test figure to meet target
It comes as questions were raised over how tests are being counted after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Friday he had met his target for 100,000 Covid-19 tests per day.
Jenrick also announced a £76 million package of support for "the most vulnerable in society" including domestic violence victims and rough sleepers.
He said more than 5,400 rough sleepers known to councils have been offered safe accommodation in the past month, and announced that Dame Louise Casey will lead a new taskforce to tackle the issue.
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