Temperature screening has negligible value for control of COVID-19

Biswadev Mitra; Carl Luckhoff; Rob D. Mitchell; Gerard M. O'Reilly; De Villiers Smit; Peter A. Cameron

doi:10.1111/1742-6723.13578

Temperature screening has negligible value for control of COVID-19

Biswadev Mitra, Carl Luckhoff, Rob D. Mitchell, Gerard M. O'Reilly, De Villiers Smit, Peter A. Cameron

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

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Abstract

Objective: To report the incidence of fever among patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at a single centre. Temperature at time of testing and on repeat testing within 24 h were collected. Results: At the time of testing, fever was detected (sensitivity) in 16 of 86 (19%; 95% confidence interval 11–28) episodes of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2. With repeat testing, fever was detected in 18 of 75 (24%; 95% confidence interval 15–35) episodes. Conclusions: In an Australian hospital, screening for fever lacked sensitivity for detection of patients with SARS-CoV-2.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	867-869
Number of pages	3
Journal	EMA - Emergency Medicine Australasia
Volume	32
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/1742-6723.13578
Publication status	Published - Oct 2020

Keywords

COVID-19
emergency medicine
fever
screening
temperature

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10.1111/1742-6723.13578

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title = "Temperature screening has negligible value for control of COVID-19",

abstract = "Objective: To report the incidence of fever among patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at a single centre. Temperature at time of testing and on repeat testing within 24 h were collected. Results: At the time of testing, fever was detected (sensitivity) in 16 of 86 (19%; 95% confidence interval 11–28) episodes of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2. With repeat testing, fever was detected in 18 of 75 (24%; 95% confidence interval 15–35) episodes. Conclusions: In an Australian hospital, screening for fever lacked sensitivity for detection of patients with SARS-CoV-2.",

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AU - Luckhoff, Carl

AU - Mitchell, Rob D.

AU - O'Reilly, Gerard M.

AU - Smit, De Villiers

AU - Cameron, Peter A.

PY - 2020/10

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N2 - Objective: To report the incidence of fever among patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at a single centre. Temperature at time of testing and on repeat testing within 24 h were collected. Results: At the time of testing, fever was detected (sensitivity) in 16 of 86 (19%; 95% confidence interval 11–28) episodes of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2. With repeat testing, fever was detected in 18 of 75 (24%; 95% confidence interval 15–35) episodes. Conclusions: In an Australian hospital, screening for fever lacked sensitivity for detection of patients with SARS-CoV-2.

AB - Objective: To report the incidence of fever among patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at a single centre. Temperature at time of testing and on repeat testing within 24 h were collected. Results: At the time of testing, fever was detected (sensitivity) in 16 of 86 (19%; 95% confidence interval 11–28) episodes of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2. With repeat testing, fever was detected in 18 of 75 (24%; 95% confidence interval 15–35) episodes. Conclusions: In an Australian hospital, screening for fever lacked sensitivity for detection of patients with SARS-CoV-2.

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Temperature screening has negligible value for control of COVID-19

Abstract

Keywords

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