Shawdesh Desk:

Given that COVID-19 has taken a milder turn, causing less severe infections and more manageable symptoms, many have started to confuse the illness with other diseases including the flu and common cold. In addition, the recent rise in the dengue cases has alarmed officials and led to added confusion.

As per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people with dengue and COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home; symptoms usually last a few days, and people tend to feel better after a week, Times of India reported.

How are COVID and dengue different?

While dengue is an illness caused by any of 4 dengue viruses i.e. through the bite of an infected Aedes species, COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. The latter is mainly transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets that are spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, explains the CDC.

Symptoms shared by COVID and dengue:

Some of the common symptoms reported in both the infections include body pain, myalgia, chills, fever, and nausea. Having said that, getting a diagnostic test is the best possible way to confirm your illness.