Mr Hunt, who lost out to Boris Johnson in last year’s Tory leadership contest, called on ministers to give everyone in the country a test to see whether they have the virus.
It comes after it was reported that the Government has bought up millions of tests, meaning one in four people could get one in future.
Frontline workers in the NHS could also be allowed to return to work with the tests, as well as other key workers such as teachers and police officers.
Public Health England are currently ramping up testing to 25,000 per day. At the moment the capacity is just under 10,000 every day.
Mr Hunt wrote in the Daily Mail today: “If we are to reduce the pressure on the NHS later in the year when the virus could well be back, we need to start ramping up Asian-style testing now.
“Is it too far-fetched to aim to be the first country that tests every single member of the population at home?
“In these extraordinary times, with our great British willpower anything is possible.
“Mass social distancing will help flatten the curve, but only testing will save us from months, maybe years, of anguish and economic paralysis.”
More testing could also see the UK get lockdown measures lifted earlier than planned.
He urged the UK to look at other countries like Germany – which has a much lower death rate after running four times as many tests as we have.
South Korea, initially hit badly by the virus, was quick to test thousands of people and soon brought the outbreak under control.
And testing more will mean finding people with the virus earlier than expected to get them the care they need as soon as possible.
More than 1,300 people have died in the UK so far.
A Whitehall source told the Daily Mail: “The top priority is randomised testing to establish how far the disease has spread.
“That is critical to understanding what we are dealing with and shaping our response.”
There is also work being done on an anti-body tests, which could find out whether someone has had the virus in the past.
Such tests are still passing official checks, but could be sent out in the coming weeks if they get the green light.
Addressing the public during the coronavirus press briefing on Friday, Michael Gove said: “Increasing our testing capacity is absolutely crucial in our response to and our fight against coronavirus.”
900 NHS staff were given tests over the weekend and will get their results in the coming days, No10 said today.
If they get the all clear, they can go back to work and help fight on the frontline in hospitals and surgeries once again.
The government’s deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries said that restrictions could continue into the autumn.
Speaking at the government’s daily coronavirus press conference, Dr Harries warned that Brits may not see their lives return to “normal” from the Covid-19 crisis for six months.
Dr Harries said it was impossible to say exactly how long the draconian measures imposed on Brits’ freedom of movement will need to be in place.
Medics and ministers will reassess them every three weeks, but we may face severe restrictions for the long haul, she warned.
