DENGUE/COVID-19, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL INTERACTIONS

COVID-19 pandemic is an important public health concern in dengue endemic areas due to overlapping of clinical and laboratory features, representing a significant challenge for health care providers that often hampers a correct diagnosis and management of both diseases. Therefore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers in areas where dengue is endemic or who treat patients with recent travel history to these areas, need to consider dengue and COVID-19 in the differential diagnosis of acute febrile illnesses. Global Implications and Opportunities and COVID-19 have mild illness and do not require hospitalization, both diseases can cause severe illness that may result in death. Indeed, clinical management for people with severe illness due to either of these two diseases is quite different, often requiring hospital-based care. High index of suspicion is necessary in handling COVID-19 cases in tropical setting where dengue is endemic. Acute febrile cases with leucopenia and thrombocytopenia should be screened for dengue. Since false positive dengue serology or cross-reactivity with SARS-Cov-2 infections are known to occur, and have a potential impact on clinical outcome, or else, result in delay in COVID-19 or dengue appropriate treatment, the risk of occurrence of complications and death is increased.