Covid-19 or dengue: The best way to establish from signs?

With the onset of monsoon, circumstances of vector-borne illness are growing phenomenally. The mosquito which is the provider of this illness finds a beneficial state of affairs for breeding in steady water in residential areas. Therefore, circumstances are normally excessive between July and November, generally even in December.

What are the overlapping signs of COVID and dengue?

Signs of Dengue embody excessive fever, headache, rash, and muscle and joint ache, which bear vital resemblance with that of COVID-19 an infection. COVID-19 signs embody fever, chills, muscle or physique aches, fatigue, and headache amongst others. In such circumstances, it will get troublesome for the docs to determine whether or not the individual is COVID constructive or not.

“Covid circumstances are declining proper now, however the virus remains to be there. I’m nonetheless seeing Covid circumstances in my OPD. Within the final 3-4 days, two circumstances had been detected in OPD and one later in an ICU. Nonetheless, on common, dengue an infection is on the rise proper now,” mentioned Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, a senior advisor at Apollo Hospitals.

“There are a couple of overlapping signs relating to each dengue and Covid, reminiscent of fever, physique aches, and headache, and in such circumstances prognosis can’t be that black and white. So, we’re prescribing each Covid and dengue checks to determine the precise an infection. In reality, in some circumstances, even malaria and typhoid checks are additionally being finished,” knowledgeable Dr Suranjit Chatterjee.

The best way to know whether or not it’s COVID or dengue?

There’s a catch for the docs in between the strains of the signs reported by sufferers. Dr. Suranjit Chatterjee says that if an individual is experiencing extra sore throat and cough with out excessive fever, then there are possibilities that he’s contracted with COVID-19 virus.

In circumstances the place docs can differentiate by signs, they don’t prescribe a dengue take a look at for the affected person.

Over the previous few days, docs of presidency, in addition to personal hospitals, have noticed a spike within the footfall of dengue sufferers in OPDs. Based on docs, most of them are complaining of fever, cough, sore throat, and physique ache or headache and generally each.

The nationwide capital’s largest hospital, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital, which can be the town’s most important COVID 19 facility can be reporting dengue circumstances. A lot of the sufferers are admitted after their platelets degree drop under the traditional vary.

Dengue fever may cause a fall in white blood cells and platelet counts. Within the physique of a wholesome individual, platelet rely usually stays at a spread of 1.5 to 4 lacs. Nonetheless, the quantity can cut back to as little as 20,000 to 40,000 within the case of dengue sufferers.

“Sure, rising dengue circumstances are making prognosis troublesome now. Earlier, we might analyse signs and Covid take a look at can be prescribed if that they had a fever or different matching signs. Not solely sufferers however even docs are confused in regards to the precise ailment as a consequence of their overlapping signs,” a senior physician on the hospital instructed PTI.

Based on Municipal Company of Delhi (MCD) information, round 520 dengue circumstances have been reported in Delhi until 21 September. Out of those 520 circumstances, 281 have been reported in September solely. Together with this, there was an increase in circumstances of different ailments as effectively. Town reported 106 circumstances of malaria and 20 circumstances of chikungunya in the identical interval. One of many attainable causes for the spike in these circumstances is the incessant rainfall within the metropolis.