Pneumonia claimed three more lives of children during the past 24 hours in Punjab, health department said on Monday. According to the Punjab Health Department, a total of 801 new pneumonia cases were reported across the province in the last 24 hours.
Over the current month, Punjab has reported 243 pneumonia-related deaths, while 15,331 cases have been reported in the province. Health experts attribute the rapid increase in cases and deaths in Punjab to the environmental pollution caused by smog during the winter season.
Pneumonia is an infection in the lungs, often caused by viruses. It can manifest after symptoms of a cold or flu and can range from mild to severe. Typically, pneumonia is more common in children aged five or younger. The health authorities in Punjab are working to address the surge in pneumonia cases, emphasizing the need for public awareness and preventive measures to curb the spread of the infection.
Meanwhile, an outbreak of pneumonia in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province has killed 234 children this month amid smog, extreme winter and low vaccination of minors, the Punjab caretaker health minister said. Pneumonia is an infection caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi that causes the air sacs to fill with pus and fluid. It poses high risk to people aged 65 and above and children below the age of 2 years.
The infectious disease claims around 55,000 to 60,000 child lives in the South Asian country every year amid cold and dry weather conditions, according to the Punjab health ministry. “This is not a new phenomenon in Punjab or Pakistan, but the mortality rate in the province is around 10 percent higher than the previous years due to a long spell of smog and freezing weather,” Punjab Caretaker Health Minister Professor Javed Akram told.
