Madrid to launch coronavirus app

At the epicentre of Spain's coronavirus outbreak, the Madrid region is launching an appl to help anyone feeling unwell evaluate their symptoms without ringing the overburdened call centres.

Currently available online at www.coronamadrid.com, the tool "will be made available within days as a mobile application", the regional government said on Thursday.

"This application aims to help avoid the collapse of the Madrid region's telephone helplines. Carry out this self-test only if you think you're showing symptoms," it said, urging residents to "be responsible".

The tool poses a series of questions about symptoms, do you have a cough, a temperature or breathing difficulties), evaluates them regularly and offers instructions and recommendations in accordance with the results.

It also has an optional location function to "better organise the medical resources to obtain a faster and more efficient response in each individual case," officials said.

Spain has seen cases of Covid-19 soar over the past 10 days, and is the fourth worst-hit country in the world, with 17,147 cases and 767 deaths.

Madrid has suffered the brunt of the epidemic, registering some 6,777 cases or around 40 percent of total. It has also suffered 498 deaths, some two-thirds of the overall fatalities across Spain.