2024-01-28 20:00:27
Reuters An infant receives treatment for pneumonia in a Lahore hospital
Many regions of the world have recently witnessed an unusual increase in respiratory diseases, including pneumonia.
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In November 2023, the Chinese National Health Commission recorded an increase in infections with several diseases, including influenza, the Corona virus, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which is a bacterial infection that affects children.
But the World Health Organization said that the health authorities had not detected the causes of the mass disease in children’s pneumonia in China to an alarming degree.
This is the first winter after the lockdown in China, during which pandemic restrictions weakened people’s collective immunity.
The World Health Organization indicates that the reason behind the increase in pneumonia cases is the immune deficiency of children who were in quarantine, which led to a significant resurgence of the outbreak of pathogens.
Other countries, such as Britain, France, Denmark and the United States, have also seen similar increases in diseases such as influenza since they lifted pandemic restrictions.
According to the World Health Organization, pneumonia is the single largest cause of death in children in the world.
740,180 children under the age of five were killed in 2019, equivalent to 14 percent of all deaths among children in this age group.
The highest death rates are concentrated in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
These are five things we should know about pneumonia.
What is pneumonia?
According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs due to an infection.
Anyone can get pneumonia, but some are more susceptible to the disease than others.
Young children, older adults, and people with chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, diseases that weaken the immune system, and some types of cancer, are more susceptible to pneumonia.
What are its symptoms?
Symptoms of pneumonia include fever, lower than normal temperature, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
But worsening of the disease may lead to respiratory failure, sepsis, and possibly death. But early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent serious infections.
The American Lung Association recommends that people seek medical help as soon as they develop symptoms, including difficulty breathing, blueness of the lips and fingertips, chest pain, high fever, severe cough, and increased phlegm.
How does pneumonia spread?
Pneumonia can spread in several ways. Viruses and bacteria in a child’s nose can infect his lungs if he inhales them. It can also spread through droplets from coughing and sneezing, or touching objects carrying germs.
More research should be conducted on the various causes of pneumonia and the way it spreads, because this is important to provide treatment and prevent pathogens.
How is pneumonia treated?
Antibiotics are recommended to treat the infection if it is treatable. Some people do not need antibiotics.
Most people recover within two or four weeks. But some of them may require hospital treatment.
In the hospital, the patient is given fluids and antibiotics, as well as oxygen to help them breathe.
They undergo chest X-rays and blood tests to monitor other diseases.
How can I avoid getting pneumonia?
There are several measures you can take to try to prevent it.
Vaccination can help prevent infections caused by pneumococci and the influenza virus, but it does not protect against all types of pneumonia, according to the American Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
But compared to those who do not receive the vaccine and develop pneumonia, the vaccinated avoid worsening the disease, develop mild symptoms, and do not become ill.
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