Symptoms of Dengue and COVID similar: Dr. Weerasinghe

• The symptoms such as fever, muscle or body aches were common in both of the diseases

By Sheain Fernandopulle  

The Dengue virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 can generate similar symptoms, Dr. Indika Weerasinghe of the Health Ministry’s National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) said.  

He urged people to seek medical assistance immediately when such symptoms were felt, without opting to stay at home.  

Speaking to media, he said the symptoms such as fever, muscle or body aches were common in both of the diseases.  “There is a high tendency of leading to complications when a person, who is already infected with a disease, gets infected by another, similarly when a dengue patient is infected with COVID,” Dr. Weerasinghe said.  
“The situation will be worse if you make your own decision to stay at home without consulting a doctor, assuming it could be a viral infection,” he added.   Thus, he advised people to promptly take actions to seek medical assistance from a qualified physician or from a hospital, if they came up with symptoms like fever and body aches.