The Ministry of Health updates the Covid-19 case definition, and it does so with a circular signed by the general manager Giovanni Rezza. Clinically, one of these symptoms is necessary: cough, fever, dyspnoea, acute onset of anosmia, ageusia or dysgeusia. At the radiological level, a picture must be compatible with that of Covid-19, but not only: from an epidemiological point of view, a link is needed. Or a “close contact with a confirmed case within 14 days prior to onset of symptoms“, O “be a resident / operator, in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms, in health (hospital and territorial) and socio-welfare / social-health contexts such as RSA, long-term care, closed or semi-closed communities (e.g. prisons, reception centers for migrants), in there is transmission of SARS-CoV-2“. In summary: either you are at risk because of a positive contact, or because you work or live in a structure at risk. The ministry makes the difference between possible cases, those who meet the clinical criteria, therefore have symptoms from those listed , probable cases, symptoms and epidemiological links, and confirmed cases, only and only after having satisfied the “laboratory criterion“, which is a positive swab.
Within the same circular, the methods of testing and screening the population are also reviewed: we talk about different types of buffers, molecular and antigenic. The novelty is that the latter are equated with the former: “The latest generation tests seem to show overlapping results“. The reliability increases if they are used during the first week of infection, then, it is specified, if there should be discrepancies between the result of the antigen test and the clinical condition of the patient, who could show symptoms from covid, then it is remembered that the molecular buffer “however, it remains the gold standard for Covid-19 confirmation“.
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