As Spain becomes one of the hardest-hit European countries by COVID-19 with death tolls reaching 10,000, the Spanish government has decided to deploy artificial intelligence for rescuing its medical workers who are desperately trying to contain further spread of the coronavirus. 

According to Raquel Yotti, head of Madrid’s health institute, “A plan to automate tests through robots has already been designed, and Spain has committed to buying four robots that will allow us to execute 80,000 tests per day.” As the country’s coronavirus testing gets automated, the tests will be quadrupled from 15,000 tests a day, and the health workforce will have reduced risk of infection. Currently, health workers account for the country’s 12% COVID-19 cases. 

The Spanish government has so far provided no details on how the machines will work. When they’re deployed, they will join a growing range of robots tackling the pandemic, worldwide.