Back from holiday? Here’s how you need to navigate COVID-19 and Malaria
Did you go on holiday this December/January? Don’t forget to educate yourself on the differences between COVID-19 and Malaria.
Thanks to the whirlwind that was 2020, the December holiday season not only came as a welcome break but also saw a dramatic resurgence in the spread of COVID-19. Although, that didn’t stop many of us from fulfilling our holiday dreams, now that 2021 has begun and we are all home safe and sound, COVID-19 should not be the only disease on our mind, especially if you travelled to a malaria area.
As we all come to terms with the upward trajectory of the second wave, we must be cognisant of the fact that malaria is still an epidemic of epic proportions. If you travelled to a malaria endemic area and start to feel ill, you need to understand the differences between malaria and COVID-19 symptoms as they can be similar at stages.
According to Sherwin Charles, co-founder of social benefit organisation Goodbye Malaria, when in an endemic area, malaria may pose a more immediate threat than COVID-19. “Yes, both diseases are potentially deadly, but we must be cognisant of what symptoms to look out for and also remember that Malaria can prove deadlier faster, it is therefore essential that you test for both Covid-19 as well as Malaria..”
But first, let’s analyse the symptoms of each.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Tiredness
Whereas the most common symptoms of malaria include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Headache
While there are myriad other symptoms that could present themselves, the key shared symptoms between malaria and COVID-19 is the infamous fever.
“When comparing both diseases, malaria is the more immediate threat and should be tested for and treated first. That is not to say that you should disregard any COVID-19 precautions in the process, but malaria needs to be ruled out first,” says Charles.
Professor Lucille Blumberg, Deputy Director of Epidemiology at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, South Africans shouldn’t be afraid of travelling. “South Africa is not a really high risk when it comes to malaria. Even if you cross the border to a country like Mozambique, if you take the right precautions, you will be fine.”
Regarding the right malaria precautions, these are age old and never really change, except this year we have the added benefit of factoring in COVID-19. “There are overlapping symptoms,” says Prof Blumberg. “The problem is everyone is so fixated on COVID-19 that malaria symptoms are being missed.”
According to Blumberg, mosquitoes may even hitchhike in vehicles returning from malaria areas and transmit the infection to non-travellers – so-called odyssean or taxi, minibus, or suitcase malaria.
She advises that Malaria should be considered in any patient with ’flu-like illness that gets progressively worse over a few days, where an alternative diagnosis is not made. These cases are often misdiagnosed as influenza, viral hepatitis or bacterial sepsis, and the mortality rate is high because of missed or delayed diagnosis.
Although many holiday goers have the luxury of taking precautionary medication, millions of Africans are not so lucky. This is why organisations like Goodbye Malaria collaborate with world-class partners, including the Global Fund, private organisations, and the governments of Mozambique, South Africa and eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) to eradicate this scourge.
Goodbye Malaria does most of its work in Southern Mozambique. With malaria in Mozambique affecting low-transmission countries, South Africa and Eswatini, it only makes sense to start where solutions are needed most.
To learn more about Goodbye Malaria and the good work they do visit their website, or explore their shop where you can shop to contribute to meaningful change with proceeds of each sale going to the fight against malaria. If you want to learn more about Malaria visit the NICD’s website.