The simultaneous crises of dengue and COVID-19 in Pakistan: a double hazard for the country’s debilitated healthcare system

Tropical Medicine and Health

Mohammad Mehedi Hasan¹  Syeda Lamiya Mir²  Govinda Khatri²  Somina Shaikh²  Abdul Moiz Sahito²  Osman Kamal Osman Elmahi³  Ian Christopher N. Rocha⁴ 

[1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Science, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Bangladesh;Division of Infectious Diseases, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, Dhaka, Bangladesh;Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan;Faculty of Medicine, Ibn Sina University, Khartoum, Sudan;School of Medicine, Centro Escolar University, Manila, Philippines;

关键词: Dengue;    COVID-19;    Public health;    Pakistan;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s41182-022-00410-x

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Dengue fever is an arthropod-borne viral illness caused by four dengue virus serotypes (DENV 1–4), spread by Aedes mosquitos. Common symptoms of dengue include high peak temperature, headache, myalgia, and malaise following infection, with a rash emerging after 3 to 4 days. More than half of the world's population lives in dengue-endemic areas. Every year, around 100 million dengue cases are reported, with Southeast Asia comprising the majority. Nearly every day, there is a breakout of dengue infections in many areas of Pakistan, in addition to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, combating the dual burden of dengue and COVID-19 is difficult for the nation's healthcare system. Misdiagnosis owing to overlapping symptoms with COVID-19, overburdening of the healthcare system, and a lack of appropriate vaccination are some of the obstacles for dengue infection management. The government of Pakistan is pursuing a variety of measures to combat dengue fever outbreaks, including, The Pakistan Red Crescent Society was asked by the Department of Malaria Control Program to aid in promoting awareness and organizing clean-up campaigns in polluted regions and stagnant water for vector control.

【 授权许可】

CC BY