Just a few, but cause for worry: Kolkata doctors report double whammy of Covid & dengue

KOLKATA: As if one weren't bad enough, doctors across the city have come across a few cases of simultaneous dengue and Covid infections. The dual blow is not worrying in itself, if the Covid is mild. But if it's a severe bout of Covid, the patient's condition could rapidly deteriorate, doctors have warned.
Caused by different viruses, Covid and dengue have some similar symptoms, but divergent manifestations: the former tends to cause blood clots, even as the latter increases the risk of bleeding.
The state-run Beliaghata ID hospital now has one patient with both Covid and dengue in its critical care ward. The 75-year-old had been undergoing dengue treatment in another government hospital in Kolkata, from where she was shifted here on testing Covid-positive and has been kept in intensive care. Doctors said her condition was critical, as she had several co-morbidities: hypertension, hypothyroidism and a history of stroke.
"This time, we have come across at least three more cases of patients with both Covid and dengue," said senior chest physician Kausik Chaudhuri, the nodal Covid officer at the ID hospital. "They recovered from both and we sent them home. But this elderly patient's condition is a bit serious because of late detection. Therefore, if someone has fever with cough and respiratory distress, s/he should go for confirmatory tests for Covid, dengue and malaria for early diagnosis," he added.
A 60-year-old man from south Kolkata, who had tested positive to both dengue and malaria, was undergoing treatment for the co-infection when he developed respiratory distress. On testing, he was also found Covid-positive.