WHO COVID-19: Case Definitions

SUSPECTED CASE OF SARS-CoV-2 INFECTION

A: A person who meets the clinical AND epidemiological criteria:

Clinical Criteria:

• Acute onset of fever AND cough; OR
• Acute onset of ANY THREE OR MORE of the following signs or symptoms: Fever, cough, general weakness/fatigue, headache, myalgia, sore throat, coryza, dyspnoea, anorexia/nausea/vomiting, diarrhoea, altered mental status

AND

Epidemiological Criteria:

• Residing or working in an area with high risk of transmission of virus: closed residential settings, humanitarian settings such as camp and camp-like settings for displaced persons; anytime within the 14 days prior to symptom onset; or
• Residing or travel to an area with community transmission anytime within the 14 days prior to symptom onset; or
• Working in any health care setting, including within health facilities or within the community; anytime within the 14 days prior to symptom onset

B: A patient with severe acute respiratory illness: (SARI: acute respiratory infection with history of fever or measured fever of 38°C or greater; and cough; with onset within the last 10 days; and requires hospitalisation)

C: Asymptomatic person not meeting epidemiologic criteria with a positive SARS-CoV-2 Antigen-RDT

PROBABLE CASE OF SARS-CoV-2 INFECTION

A: A patient who meets clinical criteria above AND is a contact of a probable or confirmed case, or linked to a COVID-19 cluster

B: A suspect case with chest imaging showing findings suggestive of COVID-19 disease

C: A person with recent onset of anosmia (loss of smell) or ageusia (loss of taste) in the absence of any other identified cause

D: Death, not otherwise explained, in an adult with respiratory distress preceding death AND was a contact of a probable or confirmed case or linked to a COVID-19 cluster

CONFIRMED CASE OF SARS-CoV-2 INFECTION

A: A person with a positive Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT)

B: A person with a positive SARS-CoV-2 Antigen-RDT AND meeting either the probable case definition or suspect criteria A or B

C: An asymptomatic person with a positive SARS-CoV-2 Antigen-RDT who is a contact of a probable or confirmed case