There is a lot of anguish and uncertainty in the times we are living in. The world is stumbling under COVID 19. We do not exactly know what it is other than a virus hitting us hard and we only wish that it gets over soon. The world has come to a stop, countries are locked down, thousands of deaths every day, this is one of the scariest and devastating pandemics in last few decades. Despite of reading and hearing about it almost every moment, we hardly know what Corona Virus is?
There have been many theories of “Corona Virus” being shown as an incident in a tv series or a prediction done 100 years ago. But in real, we are far away from understanding its effect on Human Body and eventually on the whole world. While we are living in ambiguity, there is something we have been hearing along with it, and that’s its connection with “Malaria”. Connection between Malaria and Corona Virus is really intriguing and puts us in thoughts that is COVID-19 is an extreme version of Malaria only, which has become highly destructive as to finish the whole world at once.
What is it that we are missing or unable to find about the linkage of Malaria and COVID-19.
Let us understand!
India has been historically prevalent to malaria and has history of successes and re-emergence. Malaria itself is one of the most dreadful diseases and took many lives away. Historically, the highest incidence of malaria in India occurred in the 1950s, with an estimated 75 million cases and 0.8 million deaths per year (Source: WHO, Country Office for India). In fact, not just India but many Asian Countries along with Africa have been victim of it for years.
Recently, US and other countries demanding & developing hydroxychloroquine drug which was used to treat malaria to fight COVID-19 since very long now, has somewhere turned our doubts of its linkage stronger. Where, as per various health organization including WHO believes that the only solution to overcome with this epidemic is to develop a vaccination, “Hydroxychloroquine” sounds like a ray of light to the betterment of the situation. On the other hand, if we see the symptoms and precautions being advised by Doctors and Government are quite similar, starting with a normal flue it can be proved as fatal; however, there is a relief knowing the fact that Malaria is communicable by mosquitos where there has been no such theory for COVID-19.
While the super powers of the world are in search of vaccinations for COVID-19, the focus of therapeutic intervention of antimalarial drugs have been proposed as treatment by various nations including USA, that could at least reduce transmission of the virus, provide adequate organ support, decrease viral load and thus limit disease seriousness.
Having talked about COVID-19 and its prevention, we also not forget about Malaria and it’s fatal consequences. Various potent antimalarial medicines and treatment are available to fight and successfully defeat Malaria.
The world is fighting Corona with its best of capabilities, but are we missing out on a very evident link between Malaria & COVID-19 and its similarities? Do we already have a vaccination which is being searched by billions of people now? Is Hydroxychloroquine the drug to fight with Corona?
Well, we can surely wish so.
