Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Quick Reference for Clinical Health Care Workers

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Quick Reference for Clinical Health Care Workers

Clinical presentation and management of suspected cases The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 ranges from an asymptomatic or mild flu-like illness to a severe pneumonia requiring critical care. The most common clinical symptoms are fever and cough with a few patients presenting with difficulty in breathing and bilateral infiltrates on chest X-rays. Treatment is supportive. The differential diagnosis includes influenza (Southern Hemisphere influenza season normally begins in May or June), conventional and atypical bacterial pneumonias, tuberculosis, or Pneumocystis jirovecii (PCP) if immunosuppressed. Malaria should be considered in persons with acute febrile illness residing in or travelling from malaria transmission areas.
Type
Guides/Guidelines
Topic
COVID-19
Language
English
Publisher
National Department of Health
Year
2021