A person who tests positive to a validated specific SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test or has the virus identified by electron microscopy or viral culture, at a reference laboratory.
A person, who has not been tested, with fever (≥38°C) 1 or history of fever (e.g. night sweats, chills) or acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, sore throat) and who is a household contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19.
A person who meets the following epidemiological and clinical criteria:
Epidemiological criteria
Clinical criteria
Action
NSW specific testing
In NSW, testing criteria has been expanded to include individual patients:
Fever (≥38°C) 1 or history of fever or acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, sore throat)
Test
Very high risk
Test 2
High risk setting
Fever (≥38°C) or history of fever (e.g. night sweats, chills) or acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, sore throat) 3
Test (on site for aged care residents, where feasible)
Moderate risk
Healthcare workers, aged or residential care workers
Fever (≥38°C) 1 or history of fever (e.g. night sweats, chills) or acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, sore throat)
Background risk
No epidemiological risk factors
Hospitalised patients with fever (≥38°C) 1 and acute respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, sore throat) 5 of an unknown cause
The case definitions are based on what is currently known about the clinical and epidemiological profile of cases of COVID-19 presenting to date both in Australia and internationally. Health authorities are constantly monitoring the spectrum of clinical symptoms as cases arise, and, if there are any significant shifts, they will be reflected in the above definitions in future versions of this document.
The 14 day period is based upon what is currently known to be the upper time limit of the incubation period. As more precise information about the incubation period emerges, this will be reviewed.
A close contact is defined as requiring face-to-face contact in any setting with a confirmed or probable case, for greater than 15 minutes cumulative over the course of a week, in the period extending from 48 hours before onset of symptoms in the confirmed or probable case, or sharing of a closed space with a confirmed case for a prolonged period (e.g. more than 2 hours) in the period extending from 48 hours before onset of symptoms in the confirmed case.
For the purposes of surveillance, a close contact includes a person meeting any of the following criteria:
Contact needs to have occurred within the period extending 48 hours before onset of symptoms in the case until the case is classified as no longer infectious by the treating team (usually 24 hours after the resolution of symptoms).
Casual contact is defined as any person having less than 15 minutes face-to-face contact with a symptomatic confirmed case in any setting, or sharing a closed space with a symptomatic confirmed case for less than 2 hours. This will include healthcare workers, other patients, or visitors who were in the same closed healthcare space as a case, but for shorter periods than those required for a close contact. Other closed settings might include schools or offices.
Note that healthcare workers and other contacts who have taken recommended infection control precautions, including the use of full PPE, while caring for a symptomatic confirmed COVID-19 case are not considered to be close contacts. However, these people should be advised to self-monitor and if they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 infection they should isolate themselves and notify their public health unit or staff health unit so they can be tested and managed as a suspected COVID-19 case.
Other casual contacts may include:
Where resources permit, more active contact tracing may be extended to other persons who have had casual contact (as defined above), particularly in school, office, or other closed settings. In these circumstances, the size of the room/space and degree of separation of the case from others should be considered in identifying contacts.
As of 12 April 2020 these areas have been identified for increased testing and surveillance.
These case and contact definitions are drawn from the COVID-19 CDNA national guidelines for public health units.
Where resources permit, more active contact tracing may be extended to other persons who have had casual contact (as defined above), particularly in school, office, or other closed settings. In these circumstances, the size of the room/space and degree of separation of the case from others should be considered in identifying contacts
Version 1.16