This article argues for the immediate use of mobile phones and public reporting systems to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

To decrease the spread of COVID-19, accurate reporting of cases is needed to characterize the epidemiological parameters underlying transmission and to identify effective control and mitigation strategies. Innovative methods of reporting and surveillance are required. Critical information such as results of testing and actions taken could be achieved by self-reporting through free downloadable mobile phone applications. This communicative strategy should supplement a mandatory, uniform, daily reporting of hospital censuses of confirmed COVID-19 cases, which is argued to be the only method to understand clustering and immediate hospital needs. Worldwide public reporting systems already exist to make these recommendations a reality.