Can monkeypox and Covid-19 co-exist? Here's what an expert has to say
Considering Covid-19 hasn't gone anywhere and the cases are still being reported, is it possible to get infected by both monkeypox and Covid-19?
As monkeypox cases are rising rapidly in different parts of the world it is natural for people to feel concerned about contracting it. Health experts, however, are of the view that the disease isn't as infectious as Covid-19 and can be spread mainly by close contact of an infected person or bite of an animal. Considering Covid-19 hasn't gone anywhere and the cases are still being reported, is it possible to get infected by both monkeypox and Covid-19? (Also read: Monkeypox: How the rash progresses, for how long it lasts; know from expert)
Dr. Sulaiman Ladhani, Consulting Chest Physician MD Chest and Tuberculosis, Masina Hospital, Mumbai in an interaction with HT Digital said that Covid-19 and monkeypox can definitely co-exist and the combination can be deadly.
"As far as coexistance of Covid-19 and monkeypox goes they are both two different viral infections. Yes they can definitely co-exist and if god forbid they do, it can be really fatal," says Dr Ladhani.
The expert added that while the monkeypox fatality is between 1-10% but with existence of covid-19 infection in the body, the fatality could go up as it can make you more immunocompromised.
"It can make things more difficult, Covid by itself is quite a devastating disease and if both of these co-exist together the symptoms may turn out to be the same as before, but diagnosis is very important. For Covid, RT-PCR and for mokeypox, clinical symptoms, rash in the body, histopathological diagnosis by microscopy is necessary," says Dr Ladhani.
The expert says the treatment especially could be a challenge in case of immunocompromised and old senior patients.
"Monkeypox doesn't spread easily as you require a prolonged body contact or be in touch with body fluids of an infected person, or in contact with infected animal. Covid on the other hand spreads very easily. At present, the cases are not many, the possibility (of co-existence of two diseases) definitely exist and if they do chances of fatality are very high," concludes Dr Ladhani.
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