Skip to main content

Public health management

Surveillance and guidance for public health management of COVID-19.

Case definition and management

Clinicians should consult with their local Medical Health Officer with questions, concerns or for guidance related to cases suspected of COVID-19 infection.

Surveillance case definitions are intended for public health surveillance and reporting purposes and may not apply to clinical practice. 

Outbreak investigation and management


Toolkit for investigation and management of COVID-19 clusters and outbreaks in industrial work camps and other worksites with communal living

Purpose: Tools and templates to assist, as needed, in the investigation, management and communication of COVID-19 clusters and outbreaks. An outbreak is defined as 2 or more cases occurring in the same setting within 14 days of each other.

Scope: Although this toolkit was developed to use in COVID-19 clusters and outbreaks in industrial work camps, it could be used for outbreaks in other congregate settings with communal living or where there is ongoing or repeated contact such as corrections, shelters, agricultural setting, food processing.

Audience: epidemiologists, medical health officers, environmental health officers, nursing.

(*) indicates templates/tools available

  1. Outbreak investigation
    1. Epidemiological investigation
      1. Case definition (*)
      2. Linelist of cases (*)
      3. Case transmission/Social network visualization (showing links between cases/contacts) (*)
      4. Industrial site enhanced case questionnaire (*)
      5. Gantt chart of presence at site (*)
      6. Epicurve template and pivot table instructions (*)
      7. Epi summary (*)
    2. Environmental inspection/sampling
    3. Laboratory
      1. Whole genome sequencing: Consult with laboratory partners as required

  2. Outbreak management
    1. Outbreak meetings
      1. Agenda template (*)
      2. Participants (*)
    2. Control measures (*)
    3. Measures for assessing and managing asymptomatic workers (*)
       
  3. Communicate risk and conduct case finding
    1. CNPHI alert for clusters or declared outbreaks to inform other BC regions and other provinces and territories and facilitate case finding (*)
    2. Informing other jurisdictions of their cases and contacts (*)
    3. Informing Provincial Health Officer
    4. Workplace or Public Health informing employees
      1. Information for cases or contacts on worksite (*)
    5. Planning public communications, as needed
    6. Documenting lessons learned or debrief (*)
       
  4. Other
    1. Requesting epidemiological assistance from:
      1. BCCDC (covid.surveillance@bccdc.ca)
      2. Canadian Field Epidemiology Program (PHAC Health Portfolio Operation Centre's single window (phac-aspc.hpoc-cops@canada.ca) include "Surge epidemiological support" in the email title.)

For suggestions or questions, please send to: covid.surveillance@bccdc.ca.

Additional resources

SOURCE: Public health management ( )
Page printed: . Unofficial document if printed. Please refer to SOURCE for latest information.

Copyright © BC Centre for Disease Control. All Rights Reserved.

    Copyright © 2024 Provincial Health Services Authority.