Dengue and COVID-19 infections in the ASEAN region: a concurrent outbreak of viral diseases

Abstract

Member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have faced dengue outbreaks for decades, and the region has one of the highest rates of dengue globally. Outbreaks continue to occur concurrently with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the 10 ASEAN countries. Both infectious diseases pose a tremendous burden in these countries related to both infection control and the economy. Increases in the number of dengue cases occurred in part due to disruptions in the pathogen-host-vector relationship caused by changes in human behaviour in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The spread of dengue was further aggravated by the implementation of lockdowns and social distancing policies. These measures limited the coverage of dengue preventive programs and delayed the medical management of both diseases due to co-infection and misdiagnosis. It is of the utmost importance for the population to remain aware of both diseases, and dengue vector control strategies must be devised to properly address outbreaks using digitalization and remote surveillance. Similarly, critical triage algorithms and further research are also needed to combat co-infection and misdiagnosis. Controlling the spread of COVID-19 though vaccination should also be undertaken to reduce the impact of the pandemic.

Keywords: Asia; COVID-19; Dengue; Infection control.

Figure 1.

Comparison of dengue cases between 2018 and 2020 in several Associa tion of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries; Singapore reported higher cases of dengue in 2020 (during the pandemic), while others have shown decrease as compared to the dengue epidemics in 2019. ¹Data is extrapol.