Coronavirus

COVID-19 Efforts Disrupt Progress In Fighting Other Diseases

Health experts warn of setbacks in HIV, tuberculosis and malaria response efforts because of the focus on COVID-19.

COVID-19 Efforts Disrupt Progress In Fighting Other Diseases
Themba Hadebe / AP
SMS

Health experts say continued focus on COVID-19 could result in over a million extra deaths from other illnesses as testing, treatment and vaccine development are paused around the world.

CNN reports that the International AIDS Society is publishing a new report that details derailed timelines for responding to HIV, tuberculosis and other diseases because of the resource pull of COVID-19. Similar reports say malaria is also likely to surge.

Health experts tell CNN that the delays will likely produce lasting implications, claiming more than a million extra lives in the process.

Scientists are now looking to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014 to possibly mitigate some of the damage anticipated from the COVID-19 disruptions. 

Contains footage from CNN