Monsoons bring with it tons of vector-borne infectious diseases that become a grave concern for the healthcare system. Cases of malaria and dengue are at rising. Delhi this year witnessed the highest number of dengue cases compared to the last three years.
Both dengue and malaria are spread through vector-borne diseases that spread through mosquitos’ bites and they rise during the monsoon season. But some of the symptoms of these common monsoon diseases overlap with the novel coronavirus causing Covid-19. Here’s how to stay alert and differentiate between vector-borne malaria and dengue and highly contagious Covid-19.
What causes Covid-19 and Malaria/Dengue
Covid-19 is transmitted through droplets in the air carrying the SARS-Cov-2 virus. It is a respiratory illness that targets the lungs first. It is highly contagious in nature. Dengue and malaria on the other hand are tropical illnesses that occur during season change.
As for dengue and malaria, their menace is mostly during season change. Dengue virus is responsible for the disease. The virus responsible for the disease is the dengue virus and can be spread by bites of the Aedes mosquito.
Malaria is transmitted through a parasite called Plasmodium that can be b spread through a bite of a female anopheles mosquito. Malaria on the other hand is transmitted through a parasite called Plasmodium spread through Anopheles female Anopheles mosquito.
Symptoms that are common in Covid-19, malaria, and dengue
Rising fever, cough, chills, sore throat, cold, headache, difficulty breathing, intense fatigue, myalgia, and weakness are some of the symptoms of Covid-19 that are also present in dengue and malaria.
How to differentiate Covid-19 from malaria and dengue
- Loss of taste and smell is restricted to Covid-19
- Signs of inflammation in the upper respiratory tract
- Cough throat irritation, change in voice do not occur for dengue and malaria patients
- Gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea and nausea are common in dengue and malaria not always in Covid-19
- Chest pain, shortness of breath, breathing issues are not associated with malaria and dengue.
- One of the primary symptoms of dengue and malaria is headache, which is not the case with Covid-19
- Malaria and dengue require a longer onset period and the first symptoms can start showing as late as 22 to 25 days. In Covid -19, however, the symptoms might occur in 2-3 days post contraction. For most in 14 days.
