COVID-19 outbreak case definition

Version 3.0

  • A cluster/outbreak, with two or more cases of laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection regardless of symptom status. This includes cases with symptoms and cases who are asymptomatic.
    OR
  • A cluster/outbreak, with one laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19, and at least one additional case of illness with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 infection (as per the COVID-19 case definition)

* From September 21st 2020, report suspected COVID-19 outbreaks with the disease category ‘Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI)’. If one or more cases linked to the outbreak are subsequently confirmed as COVID-19, the ARI outbreak should be reclassified to being a COVID-19 outbreak. Outbreaks of suspected COVID-19 which were notified before September 21st 2020, and met the previous COVID-19 outbreak definition should remain as COVID-19 outbreaks on CIDR

Last updated: 21 September 2020