International Covid-19 support for Radiographers and Radiological Technologists

As reported by Zanardo et al.¹, the WHO defined a suspect, probable, and confirmed COVID-19 case as follows:

Suspected case:

• A patient with acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease (e.g., cough, shortness of breath), and with no other aetiology that fully explains the clinical presentation and a history of travel to or residence in a country/area or territory reporting local transmission of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to symptom onset;
• A patient with any acute respiratory illness and having been in contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case in the 14 days prior to onset of symptoms;
• A patient with a severe acute respiratory infection (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease (e.g., cough, shortness breath) and requiring hospitalization and with no other aetiology that fully explains the clinical presentation.

Probable case:

• A suspect case for whom testing for COVID-19 is inconclusive.

Confirmed case:

• A patient with laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 infection, irrespective of clinical signs and symptoms.

Three different conditions may be identified

1. Patients with no respiratory symptoms
2. Patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19
3. Patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 undergoing procedures at high risk of generating aerosol