Qatar has been utilizing advanced technologies in its fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) with a focus on raising awareness and ensuring the implementation of the laid out preventive and precautionary measures. 

As it continues to take steps to limit the spread of the disease, the country has introduced a dedicated app named 'Ehteraz,' which means precaution.

The app, which will help in tracking disease transmission chains, will also serve a number of other purposes, including alerting individuals about the risk of contracting COVID-19 and helping medical teams reach suspected COVID-19 patients promptly. 

لسلامتك وسلامة من حولك، حمل تطبيق احتراز#احتراز_لمصلحتي_ومصلحتك

For your safety and the safety of your community, download

#Ehteraz

متوفر الان على الاب ستور وقريبا على أندرويد.
Available now on App Store & soon on Androidhttps://t.co/5bDMzrmMaP pic.twitter.com/2r43QwdJ8W

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) April 25, 2020

The latest developments and official statistics related to the virus in the country will also be available on the app. 

The details about the app were revealed at a press conference held by the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management held earlier in April. 

Yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) announced that the Ehteraz app can now be downloaded from the Apple App Store.

It will soon be available for Android users too, the Ministry said in a tweet. 

How does the app work?

The profile of each user is linked to the QR code by automatically extracting the user’s health information from the official bodies according to these categories: Red, Yellow, Grey, and Green.

According to the app information page, "Ehteraz is your trusted smart application to follow up on the latest updates of COVID-19 in Qatar. Ehteraz has been designed and developed in the Ministry of Interior to support all categories of the Qatari community to spread health awareness tips and techniques as well as the protection methods that are necessary to halt the outbreak of coronavirus."

"This smart tool is also meant to give a hand to those people that are responsible for their families in their endeavours to protect their loved ones, and to support healthcare and related entities in order to protect the safety of individuals and that of the Qatari community."

For any queries, or concerns related to COVID-19 in Qatar, the public can contact a 24/7 hotline set up by the Ministry. The hotline number is 16000 and is toll-free.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself. 

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