Experts say that there is "no standard protocol" for treatment of patients contracting a double infection of COVID-19 and dengue. A very "finely balanced" approach in treatment is required to manage both the ailments simultaneously.

Manish Sisodia, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, aged 48 years was shifted to LNJP Hospital on Wednesday for COVID-19 treatment and a day later was tested positive for dengue. On Thursday evening, he was shifted to the ICU of Max Hospital Saket.

B L Sherwal, Medical Director, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital stated that both these diseases have no specific treatment, making it even more difficult for doctors to treat such patients. He said that few aspects of the treatment are contradictory and also tricky. In COVID-19, heparin drug is injected subcutaneously that reaches the bloodstream and prevents embolism in these patients which can prove lethal. Embolism is sudden blocking of an artery obstructing flow of oxygen, and causes complications even after treatment.

Sherwal further said that in dengue, the platelets infusion is required in cases where the platelet count has dropped to dangerously low level. And, so, they cant inject heparin if a COVID-19 patient has dengue also.

Vikas Maurya, Director and Head, Pulmonology at Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh, also says that a balanced approach is required in managing the "double infection" of COVID-19 and dengue.

Maurya referred to a study which has been done by a university in Brazil along with an American varsity. The study is yet to be peer-reviewed, but one of its findings was that in patients who had suffered dengue earlier developed antibodies. In few patients, a false positive outcome was observed for COVID-19 with RT-PCR test. However, it is too early to comment.

Rajesh Rautela, Medical Superintendent of GTB Hospital, said that the best way is to take precautions to avoid stagnation of water so that mosquitoes won’t breed. There is no medicinal cure for either of the two diseases, only symptomatic treatment, so people should always remain alert.

In a dengue patient, if his or her platelets level drops dangerously below the normal level, then they need external platelets infusion. A normal platelets level is in the range of 1.5-4.5 lakh. In dengue, a person has high fever, red rashes on skin, pain behind the eye sockets, joint pain and in severe cases internal bleeding, which can prove fatal.

The common symptoms of COVID-19 are high fever, body fatigue, breathlessness, cough and loss of sense of smell and taste.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, himself a COVID-19 survivor, had told media reporters that about 2-3 patients of COVID-19 in Delhi have dengue infection also. He said that they had managed to contain dengue this year. Last year, the campaign 10 Hafte 10 Baje 10 Minute was very effective, and this year also the dengue situation in Delhi is in control.

Source: ET Healthworld