Australia’s coronavirus contact-tracing app was downloaded more than one million times in the first hours of its release, despite privacy and security concerns.

Health Minister Greg Hunt launched the COVIDSafe app on Sunday evening. It aims to give an early alert to people who may have come into contact with somebody infected with novel coronavirus.

By early Monday morning, more than 1.13 million Australians had downloaded the app, Hunt told Channel Nine. More than a million of the registrations were in the first four hours of the app’s launch.

Use of the app is voluntary, but the Australian government earlier said it was essential that at least 40% of the population use the app and a wider-ranging testing regime is launched before restrictions can be loosened in the country.

Despite support for the app from all sectors, including doctors, nurses, bankers, and business, some politicians still expressed privacy concerns.

“I make a free choice not to do it,” lawmaker and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce told broadcaster Channel Seven on Monday.

Pauline Hanson, leader of the far-right One Nation party, said she feared the country’s mandatory meta data retention laws, introduced in 2015, could allow the app to pass personal information to other government agencies.

“I don't want them tracking me. I don't trust the government,” the senator told Channel Nine.

Meanwhile, Hunt said Monday Australia had recorded only 10 new coronavirus infections in the previous 24 hours, with no new cases in four of the eight states and territories.

 - dpa