The clinic has partnered with a "large laboratory" in the north of England, which has previously tracked other coronaviruses such as Sars and Mers. Since launching the test last week, the clinic has been inundated with requests from people who had been refused testing after calling the NHS 111 helpline.

"People are worried sick. They want to get some clarity back in their lives," Dr Ali told the Telegraph.

"We have private individuals - there are some recognisable names there - and we are testing lords and ladies, knights, and even doctors and dentists who are worried about catching the disease.

"The bottom line is this. The provision of tests is incredibly important and the NHS has admitted that it doesn't have capacity to test people unless they are taken into hospital."

Clients apply for the test online and are sent a kit in the post. Two samples are taken from the nose and throat, and the swabs are placed in a bag and sent by special courier to the laboratory.

Scientists then search for nucleic material (RNA) within the virus - the same method employed by Public Health England.

Clients are then sent their results digitally within three days and offered support and guidance if found to have contracted the virus. Positive results are shared with the NHS so that patients can access the right treatment, and to help the Government track the spread of the disease.

"There’s a whole spectrum of people who fear they have the virus," said Dr Ali.

"Some are in extremis and really don't know what to do. Others just want to know if they’ve got it.

"For example, we're testing one quite elderly couple who themselves have elderly parents, and they don't know whether they should visit them. They tell us that they can't get tested by the NHS and they don’t know what to do.

"We've got university students in England who want to go back to Nepal, but need to know if they have the disease so they can be let back into their own country.

"We've got a businessman who owns a construction company employing 60 people. He needs to know the state of play, or he risks letting down his customers. SO every single person in that company is being tested."

Meanwhile, Sir Patrick Vallance, the Chief Scientific Adviser for the Government, called for a "big increase" in the amount of testing that is done for the virus.