Matebeleland South Health Officer, Mr Notho Dube has refuted claims suggesting that there are 6 people who died of coronavirus in the province this year saying it was malaria.
He said that malaria cases this year increased in the province resulting in six deaths reported in Gwanda and Beitbridge districts. Dube said:
We have noted an upward trend in malaria cases that we have recorded this year as they are overshooting three-fold when compared to last year’s figures.
From February up to end of March, we had recorded six malaria-related deaths four of which were recorded in Beitbridge and two in Gwanda South. We recorded a total of 896 cases throughout the province with Beitbridge recording 819 and Gwanda 60.
It is possible for malaria to be mistaken for coronavirus considering that there are some malaria symptoms which can also be exhibited by people who would have contracted coronavirus.
Below are some of the malaria symptoms:
- shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe
- high fever
- profuse sweating
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- diarrhea
- anemia
- muscle pain
- convulsions
- coma
- bloody stools
Meanwhile, a person who would have contracted coronavirus can show some of the following symptoms:
- cough
- fever
- tiredness
- difficulty breathing (severe cases)
- Runny nose,
- sore throat,
- nasal congestion and aches and pains or diarrhoea.
- Loss of sense of taste and/or smell.
As noted above, some of the symptoms are exhibited by individuals with either coronavirus or malaria.
More: The Herald
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