An app to monitor symptoms of a possible coronavirus infection, which was developed by the OLVG hospital in Amsterdam and digital medical platform Luscii, will now be available nationwide.

The Corona Check-app, which has been downloaded over a 100,000 times, allows people to upload medical data if they think they are displaying some of the characteristic symptoms of the disease, such as coughing, shortness of breath, a sore throat or a temperature.

If, over time, a hospital medical team feels the overall picture indicates infection, the person is contacted and told to stay at home and avoid social contacts.

The OLVG has also announced plans to start a trial to physically test people who display symptoms and then intensify care via the app.

‘Until now we could only pronounce on the likelihood that people had the virus but now we are going to conduct PCR tests and provide more care at home. This will reassure people with symptoms,’ lung specialist Paul Bresser said.

The tests will be carried out among OLVG staff who use the app to begin with, Bresser said. Those who test positive will be given an oxygen saturation meter to take home, followed by extra contact with a doctor via video calls.

If the trial proves successful, testing will be used on a wider scale, the hospital said.