Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: criteria to guide evaluation of patients under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19
Patients in the US who meet the following criteria should be evaluated as a PUI:
• A. Fever or signs/symptoms of lower respiratory illness (e.g., cough or dyspnoea) AND any person,
including healthcare workers, who has had close contact with a laboratory-confirmed case within 14
days of symptom onset; OR
• B. Fever and signs/symptoms of lower respiratory illness (e.g., cough or dyspnoea) requiring
hospitalisation AND a history of travel from affected geographic areas (regions where widespread or
sustained community transmission has been identified) within 14 days of symptom onset; OR
• C. Fever with severe acute lower respiratory illness (e.g., pneumonia, acute respiratory distress
syndrome) requiring hospitalisation and without an alternative explanatory diagnosis AND no source of
exposure has been identified.
Fever may be subjective or confirmed. Close contact is defined as being within approximately 2 metres (6
feet) of a confirmed case for a prolonged period of time while not wearing personal protective equipment.
Close contact is also defined as having direct contact with the infectious secretions of a case while not
wearing personal protective equipment.