Dengue Virus Cases Surge Amidst COVID-19 in Pakistan: Challenges, Efforts and Recommendations

Abstract

Pakistan is currently facing two outbreaks, dengue and COVID-19; both have strained its healthcare system resulting in multiple concerns including the co-diagnosis of two. Due to poor healthcare capacity, low vaccination rate, increasing COVID-19 variants, socioeconomic disparities, and misinformation, it is inevitable that implications will prove to be damaging to both healthcare workers and civilians. Among these challenges, it is important to note the need for stronger epidemiological surveillance for both COVID-19 and dengue and the implementation of public health measures without endangering sources of livelihood. To sustain this, cooperation between WHO and Pakistan’s government must continue through smart lockdowns, dengue awareness campaigns, and double laboratory procedures.