TORONTO -- Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says she has tested negative for COVID-19 after she received a notification from the government's COVID Alert app about a possible exposure.
Freeland shortly after receiving the notification. She announced her results on Sunday.
"My results came back negative this morning. Again, my thanks to our tremendous health care professionals," .
She went on to urge Canadians to download the COVID Alert app "and help stop the spread of this virus."
Earlier this month, Trade Minister Mary Ng also tested negative after receiving an exposure notification from the app.
The COVID Alert app allows users to disclose a positive coronavirus test and alerts anyone who has come close to that person in the past 14 days via Bluetooth tracking. Public health officials have stressed that it does not track location and has no way of knowing an individual鈥檚 location, address, contacts, or health information.
Nearly five million Canadians have downloaded the app and 2,387 people have entered a positive test result since it was launched earlier this year.
The COVID Alert app is available in all provinces except B.C. and Alberta.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference on Friday that the app has been updated to give users the option to input their testing date or the date their symptoms first began.
"This will provide even better information about when people may have been the most infectious, further strengthening the impact and accuracy of this app," Trudeau said.
Several politicians have tested positive for COVID-19, including Conservative Leader Erin O鈥橳oole and Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet.
With files from CTVNews.ca's Sarah Turnbull in Ottawa鈥�
