A man who has symptoms of coronavirus says he hasn't been able to get tested due to issues with the dedicated NHS 111 calling system.

The 53-year-old man from Ashton-under-Lyne says he developed a tight chest and has had difficulty breathing since last Wednesday.

He claims he has still not been tested for the COVID-19 virus because the NHS 111 automated line won't allow him to see a medical professional.

The patient, who wished to remain anonymous, says he has been left in limbo about whether he needs to self-isolate or go back to work.

He is currently receiving statutory sick pay, but feels he has no choice but to go back to work without a positive diagonsis.

When we asked NHS England what the patient should do, a spokesperson said he should self-isolate.

"I started with flu like symptoms last week that were getting worse," he said, speaking to the Manchester Evening News.

"On Sunday I was finding it really hard to breathe - it was like nothing I had ever experienced before.

"The next day I phoned my doctor and he told me it sounded like I had coronavirus, and asked me to phone 111 immediately."

(Image: Getty Images)

Current advice states that anyone who suspects they have symptoms of the virus to phone the specialist coronavirus 111 telephone line.

The man says he phoned the helpline and was asked a number of questions via an automated service.

"It throws you down a road where you just can't be seen," he said.

"It asks if you have been to any of the infected places to which I said no.

"Then they ask if you have been in contact with anyone who has coronavirus and I said no, because I haven't knowingly.

"They asked if I have flu-like symptoms and the automated voice just told me to self isolate.

"So basically if you want to speak to a person you have to lie," he added.

(Image: STEVE ALLEN)

The man said that on Monday he visited one of the NHS pods at Manchester Royal Infirmary, but was still unable to get tested.

He says when he got to the pod a sign told him he had to ring 111 and go through the same process.

"I first went to Tameside Hospital and drove around six times and couldn't find a pod anywhere," he said.

"My sister rang the hospital and they said they didn't have a pod.

"When I got to the MRI you have to call 111 again and arrange for someone to come out and test you.

"I got through to a person on 111 and I told her the symptoms and that I was really short of breath. Thirty seconds later she told me to go home and self isolate."

The man says he is worried about whether or not he is safe to return to work due to the uncertainty of his diagnosis.

He is currently receiving statutory sick pay.

"I am very concerned because if I don't get told whether I have coronavirus it leaves me no option but to go back into work.

(Image: MEN Media)

"It's like a merry-go-round.

"I just need the piece of mind. If I got told I have coronavirus now then obviously I would not be going out in public, but there is no way for me to find out.

"It's absolutely ridiculous."

A spokesperson for NHS England said: "As the chief medical officer has said, the NHS could well come under pressure because of coronavirus.

"As the whole country responds to this new virus, to help people get checked quickly, we are already ramping up the number of testing centres across the country, so that 10,000 tests can be carried out daily.

"Additional investment means that more call handlers will be recruited to NHS 111 to give expert advice to callers with concerns about the virus.

"Anyone with concerns about coronavirus can use the NHS 111 online service, and while the 111 phone line is understandably busy, and people may have to wait longer than usual, all enquiries are being responded to thanks to hard NHS working staff."