Dengue during COVID-19: Here's what you need to know
What's the story
Even as India continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic, another major health threat, that of dengue, is looming large with the arrival of the monsoon season in full swing.
While the two illnesses vary in intensity and spread, their collaborative threat could further mar the healthcare infrastructure and lead to even more compromised immune systems.
Here's what you need to know.
Details
Comparing dengue and COVID-19
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection caused due to the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquito. The disease is prevalent in more than 100 countries around the world.
COVID-19, on the other hand, caused by the newly-discovered coronavirus strain SARS-CoV-2, is a highly contagious disease. Its outbreak began in China last year and has since battered the world.
Threat
They might prove to be a deadly combination
A fresh dengue outbreak could prove to be disastrous for already-overburdened healthcare infrastructure currently dealing with COVID-19, whose vaccine, despite scientific efforts across the globe, is not yet available.
Further, the preventive measures meant for both illnesses might overlap. For instance, staying home, an essential way to protect from the coronavirus, may increase one's chances of getting bitten by mosquitoes, especially in high-risk areas.
Other challenges
Lockdown restrictions, similar symptoms also challenging
Furthermore, measures to reduce or prevent the spread of dengue include destroying mosquito-breeding sites, especially those containing standing water.
However, coronavirus-induced lockdowns and other restrictions may imply that these dengue preventive measures have either been reduced or stopped completely, in numerous areas.
Another challenge is that both diseases have largely similar symptoms, typically including high fever and body pain.
Outbreaks
How do their respective outbreaks compare?
Last year, 1,36,422 dengue cases were reported in India and an estimated 132 people succumbed to the disease, according to data from the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). This year, the dengue season has merely begun.
On the other hand, the rapidly-spreading novel coronavirus has sickened more than 10 lakh people and killed 26,816 across the country in less than six months.
Preparations
Are states prepared to prevent the double whammy?
Per reports, several states are working to ensure that the dengue season does not add to the woes of the healthcare system.
For this, the Punjab government launched a widespread sanitation drive last week.
Separately, in West Bengal, health officials are formulating new protocols to assist medical professionals to distinguish between COVID-19 and dengue, as well as to deal with patients infected with both.
Precautions
Here's what you can do to prevent catching COVID-19
To stay safe from the novel coronavirus, follow these precautions:
1) Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly using soap.
2) Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
3) Maintain social distancing and wear a mask whenever you step out in public.
4) Cough/sneeze into a tissue, or your elbow (and not your palms).
5) If you develop symptoms, isolate yourself, and consult your doctor.
Precautions
And, some preventive measures for dengue
To prevent getting bitten by dengue-carrying mosquitoes, follow these steps:
1) Wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants.
2) Make sure to turn empty pots and buckets upside down.
3) Apply mosquito repellent creams and lotions on exposed areas of your body.
4) Block any openings/holes in your windows and door screens.
5) Use a mosquito net while sleeping.
6) Keep your dustbins well covered.