Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced a new app which will send alerts after people display the symptoms of coronavirus.
Mr Hancock, who spoke of a 'sombre day' as the number of people who have died in hospital in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus passed 10,000.
Mr Hancock, in his daily briefing, also revealed a new app which would help stem the spread of the pandemic.
He said: "If you become unwell with the symptoms of coronavirus you can securely tell this new NHS app and the app will then send an alert anonymously to other app users that you've been in significant contact with over the past few days, even before you have symptoms so that they know and can act accordingly.
"All data will be handled according to the highest ethical and security standards and would only be used for NHS care and research and we won't hold it any longer than it's needed."
Mr Hancock said that the app was currently being tested and the government was working with the world's leading tech companies and experts.
He added: "The more people who get involved then the better informed our response to coronavirus will be and the better we can protect the NHS."
Mr Hancock also spoke of the Prime Minister who had now been discharged from hospital.
He said: "I hope everyone has seen his message of love and thanks to all those who supported his recovery and to the NHS colleagues who cared for him so brilliantly at St Thomas' Hospital.
"I know that they have cared for him as they would have cared for anybody in this country.
"It's one of the things that makes me so proud that the NHS is there for us all and can give its very best to every single person and has been able to throughout this crisis."
Mr Hancock acknowledged the growing controversy surrounding PPE equipment for NHS staff saying there was "always more to be done"
Mr Hancock said that 121,000 gowns have been delivered around the country and more would be coming, adding that the average time to deal with PPE queries had gone down to two and a half days in the past week.
