Thread by @toluogunlesi

Question at the PTF daily briefing:

“People want to know, what is the difference between Covid-19 and malaria? Since some recovered patients are saying the drugs they received during treatment are malaria-related.”

So Answer has come in:

DG @NCDCgov, @Chikwe_I: "They're completely different diseases; Covid is caused by a virus, Malaria is caused by a parasite. Many diseases in Nigeria - Yellow Fever, Lassa Fever, Malaria, etc - all present similarly (i.e. with a Fever) at the beginning.

DG @NCDCgov, @Chikwe_I: Also,

1. There's no treatment for Covid; what clinicians do is MANAGE SYMPTOMS so the body can recover as quickly as possible.

2. You can have both Malaria and Covid-19; that you have Covid-19 doesn't prevent you from having Malaria at the same time.

National Coordinator of PTF, @DrSaniAliyu: The symptoms of Malaria and Covid-19 can be very similar, but the two are VERY DIFFERENT illnesses.