Recognize the signs of dengue fever and Covid-19

According to Dr. Nguyen Kim Thu, Head of Virus – Parasitology Department, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, dengue fever and Covid-19 have different transmission routes. However, the two diseases have atypical clinical symptoms, such as fever, body aches, so it is easy to cause confusion.

Doctors base on other clinical symptoms to distinguish and diagnose 2 diseases. Covid-19 mainly has respiratory symptoms such as cough, difficulty breathing, stuffy nose, pneumonia and respiratory failure. Dengue fever also causes sudden, high fever, body aches, pain in the eye sockets and temples, and progresses badly from day 4 to 7.

Doctor Nguyen Thanh Van, Head of the Department of Tropical Diseases, Huu Nghi Hospital, said that the two diseases have epidemiological factors and transmission routes, and the disease situation is very different. Covid-19 is transmitted through the respiratory tract by contact with the droplet, while dengue fever is transmitted through the blood by mosquitoes. Meanwhile, dengue has no respiratory symptoms but causes fever, forehead headache, nausea, vomiting, joint pain, weakness, and purpura. Patients may also experience anorexia, palpitations, and mild sore throat.

When severe dengue fever, the patient may be shocked, severe bleeding and organ failure, must be treated in the hospital. However, the rate of severe progression is low. A few cases of fever, nosebleeds or root bleeding, menorrhagia or bleeding in women, vomiting blood, passing bloody or black stools like coffee grounds, dizziness, sleepiness, lethargy packaging from day 3 to 6 of the illness even though the fever is gone.

Currently, there is no special medicine to treat dengue fever, medicine only helps to support treatment, reduce the symptoms of fever, cough, runny nose, aches and pains, complications and support for the patient’s condition.

Dengue patients at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Photo:  Chile.

Hanoi has recorded 2 deaths due to dengue fever, both late to hospital. Therefore, Dr. Van recommends that patients go to a doctor as soon as there are 5 signs of fever, including restlessness, agitation or lethargy; increased vomiting; sudden stomach pain; pee less, the number of times to go less, the number to decrease; bleeding in the root, nosebleed … The doctor will evaluate more symptoms and complications to have appropriate management plan. Elderly people, people with underlying medical conditions should seek medical examination early when they have a fever because they easily have unusual happenings, get worse and difficult to control.

Dr. Van also noted that people should absolutely not self-infuse when they have a fever. When an infusion is needed, the doctor will prescribe and closely monitor the infusion rate to avoid shock. People with dengue should pay attention to drink plenty of fluids, compensate for electrolytes such as oresol to avoid severe drainage, blood concentration.

Patients should also use fruit juices, juices (such as oranges, grapefruit, lemon juice, coconut water) that contain many minerals and vitamins to enhance the resistance, help the vessel wall become more durable and will make the condition. soon improved. Liquid and soft foods such as porridge, soup, and milk are recommended, avoiding rice, and hard foods that are hard to swallow and cause bleeding.

Source: https://vnexpress.net/nhan-biet-dau-hieu-sot-xuat-huyet-va-covid-19-4158147.html