Guidelines for COVID-19 Epidemiological Investigations
Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Abstract
19 Epidemiological Investigations Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention These guidelines are based on the most recent research on the epidemiology of COVID-19 from home and abroad and are intended to further improve epidemiological investigations of COVID-19 cases to control spread of the virus.PURPOSE 1.To investigate source of infection and trace and identify close contacts; 2. To investigate onset of illness and treatment of patients, including clinical characteristics and risk factors; 3. To investigate and analyze transmission characteristics of COVID-19 cases and clusters of cases. SCOPEThe guidelines cover investigation of COVID-19 suspected cases, confirmed cases, asymptomatic infected persons, and clusters of cases. CONTENT AND METHODS Case InvestigationThe county (district) level disease control and prevention agency, upon receiving a report of one or more COVID-19 cases, should complete an initial epidemiological investigation within 24 hours.The investigation can be conducted through review of documents and interviews with patients, physicians, acquaintances, and others as needed.When a patient has completed a 14-day period of isolation and health monitoring, the county (district) level disease control and prevention agency should obtain information on specimen collection and testing for inclusion in the case report.Case investigation should include basic demographic and identification data and information on onset of symptoms, care-seeking behavior, risk factors, potential exposures, and laboratory findings of suspected cases, confirmed cases, and asymptomatic infected persons.For suspected cases, this information is to be recorded in a Case Investigation Questionnaire (Appendix S1, available in http://weekly.chinacdc.cn/)that includes identifying information such as name, gender, and ID number.Information about individuals identified as close contacts should be recorded in the Health Status Monitoring Case Form for Close Contacts in the Guideline for Investigation and Management of Close Contacts of COVID-19 Cases.