This archive report was first published on 24 August 2020.
Despite the respiratory system being the primary target of both Covid-19 and asthma, the latter has shown a remarkable resistance to the former. According to the Ministry of Health's Covid-19 situation report dated July 16, asthma accounts for just 2% of Covid-19 deaths in the country.
As of yesterday's update, a total of 548 people had died from Covid-19, with six new deaths reported. The number of confirmed cases stood at 32,264, with 246 new cases reported, as announced by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
Experts have been left puzzled by this phenomenon, with some attributing it to the long-term use of steroids by asthma patients. A paper published on April 30, 2020, by The Lancet titled 'Do chronic respiratory diseases or their treatment affect the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection' suggests that long-term usage of steroids or corticosteroids may provide some immunity to asthmatic individuals.
Dr. Kalubusia Kakai, an immunologist, notes that asthma is more of an allergy triggered by something, whereas Covid-19 is a primary infection. He adds that while asthma patients can recover quickly, Covid-19 can cause difficulty breathing in the last phase of infection, requiring mechanical ventilation.
Both diseases present with similar symptoms, including difficulty breathing, which can make it challenging for patients to distinguish between the two. UK experts have acknowledged that patients might have trouble telling Covid-19 from asthma, and that relief from asthma symptoms after taking steroids can be a key indicator.
