‘Patient Under Investigation’ criteria stretched to cover more people
The Public Health Ministry has expanded the definition of “Patient Under Investigation” (PUI) to four cases where free tests will be administered, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government's Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Wednesday (April 8).
1. Passengers screened by international communicable disease control will become PUI if they display any of the following symptoms – body temperature of 37.3 degrees Celsius or more, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing – together with risk factors including a recent history of travel abroad.
2. Patients in hospitals divided into two sub-cases:
Patients with body temperature above 37.5C or cough, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.
Patients with pneumonia combined with other risk factors. Risk factors include a history of travel to an at-risk Covid-19 area in the 14 days before the onset of illness, a job dealing with tourists, visiting crowded places or having contact with many people, joining large gatherings such as at flea markets, shopping malls, hospitals or public transport, and having contact with Covid-19 patients.
3. Medical and public health personnel with a temperature of 37.5C or more, recent fever or any of the following respiratory symptoms – coughing, mucus, sore throat, shortness or difficulty in breathing, or pneumonia – and contact with Covid-19 patients/suspects.
4. Cluster pneumonia patients who test negative for influenza. Medical personnel who pass the Covid-19 examination in a department where three or more medical personnel (or five or more patients) get infected during the same week.
“We can now easily test up to 20,000 examples in Bangkok and other provinces,” Dr Taweesin said. “All tests will be paid for by the government. The measures will help to control the disease,” he added.