“High Fever and Sore Throat” COVID-19? Flu? Pneumonia? ... It's Hard to Diagnose These Days

During the Twin-demic, Clinics Conduct Simultaneous COVID-19 and Flu Tests
Pediatric Departments Also Perform RSV and Metapneumovirus Diagnostic Tests

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] Baek, a man in his 20s living in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, recently woke up with symptoms of headache, sore throat, and muscle pain but could not tell whether it was COVID-19 or the flu. Since COVID-19 requires a 7-day quarantine, he visited an otolaryngology clinic for an accurate diagnosis, where he underwent a COVID-19 test followed by a flu test, each involving a nasal swab. Baek said he was only able to get cold medicine after receiving negative results for both tests about 30 to 40 minutes later. Baek said, “The total medical fee was 35,000 won, which was a burden, and it took longer than I expected.”

‘Twin-demic’ of infections with similar symptoms like high fever and headache... Multiple tests needed to identify diagnosis

According to the medical community on the 18th, as the ‘twin-demic’ of a COVID-19 resurgence and flu (influenza) intensifies, primary clinics and hospitals are seeing cases where a single patient undergoes multiple tests. Because COVID-19 and the flu share similar major symptoms, even doctors find it difficult to diagnose the disease based solely on the patient’s explanation and condition. Park Eok, director of Mujigae Children’s Hospital in Daegu and a pediatric specialist, said, “To diagnose COVID-19 and the flu at the same time, the procedure involves swabbing the nostrils twice. Although this testing method can be burdensome, especially for child patients, more than 90% of guardians consent because their children have a high fever immediately.”

Currently, when visiting clinics or hospitals with respiratory infection symptoms such as high fever, most patients first receive a COVID-19 rapid antigen test. Since it is covered by health insurance, the test is free, and about 5,000 won is charged as a medical fee. If the result is negative, patients then undergo a flu test, which is similar in method to the COVID-19 rapid antigen test. However, because it is not covered by insurance, an additional cost of 25,000 to 35,000 won is incurred.

20 COVID-19 and flu simultaneous diagnostic kits available on the market... but rarely used in clinics and hospitals

On a parenting community, a post said, “My child had a high fever in the morning, so I went to an internal medicine clinic, where the child cried and screamed because the nose was swabbed twice for COVID-19 and flu tests. The clinic was so crowded that it took two hours, and I was exhausted.” Comments included, “There are clinics where only one nasal swab is needed to diagnose both COVID-19 and the flu simultaneously.” This refers to the COVID-19 and flu simultaneous diagnostic kits approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety since November 2020, which separately indicate the presence of influenza types A and B in addition to COVID-19. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, as of the previous day, there are 20 approved COVID-19 and flu simultaneous diagnostic kits: 11 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits and 9 rapid antigen test kits.

Although the number of simultaneous diagnostic kits distributed on the market is expected to increase, most clinics and hospitals do not use them for various reasons. Director Park explained, “If COVID-19 and flu simultaneous diagnostic kits were supplied, it would be easier for medical staff, patients, and guardians. However, rapid antigen tests using simultaneous diagnostic kits are rarely used because health insurance coverage has not yet been decided, and even if used, the test fees tend to be expensive.” The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that health insurance claims for rapid antigen tests using simultaneous diagnostic kits are currently under review by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Also, PCR tests take at least four hours from specimen collection to diagnosis, so results are often available the next morning, which reduces their appeal to both medical staff and patients.

Pediatric hospitals also busy diagnosing RSV and metapneumovirus

Pediatric hospitals are also busy conducting diagnostic tests for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and metapneumovirus. These acute respiratory diseases mainly affect infants and young children and have similar symptoms such as fever, runny nose, and cough, but can lead to pneumonia if severe. Director Park said, “A significant number of children hospitalized at the hospital currently are due to pneumonia, and the number of hospitalized patients has increased compared to before COVID-19.” He added, “Because children were not exposed to viruses for two years due to mandatory mask-wearing, but have been taking off masks more frequently this year, they have become more vulnerable to exposure to RSV and metapneumovirus.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.