The logo of Google is seen at the high profile startups and high tech leaders gathering, Viva Tech,in Paris, France May 16, 2019. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Google said a life sciences division, Verily, is in the early stages of developing a tool to help triage Americans who may need testing for the coronavirus.

“Verily is in the early stages of development, and (is) planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time,” Google’s communications department announced in a statement on Twitter.

Shares of Google parent Alphabet Inc closed up more than 9% after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the search giant would create a website to help determine whether individuals need a coronavirus test or not. The president said that 1,700 company engineers were working on the site.

Like Google, Verily is a subsidiary of Alphabet, which is based in Mountain View, California.