Pneumonia claims lives of nine more children in Punjab

At least nine more children died of pneumonia in Punjab during the last 24 hours due to an increase in cold weather, ARY News reported on Monday citing the Punjab health department.

Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.

As many as 275 cases of pneumonia in children have been reported on Monday alone. This brings the total number of cases in Pakistan’s largest province to 9,570.

Meanwhile, the death toll has reached 188 in Punjab.

The high number of cases has also led to extreme shortages of medicine in Lahore.

Symptoms of pneumonia

The signs and symptoms of pneumonia vary from mild to severe, depending on factors such as the type of germ causing the infection, and your age and overall health. Mild signs and symptoms often are similar to those of a cold or flu, but they last longer.

Signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:

Chest pain when you breathe or cough
Confusion or changes in mental awareness (in adults age 65 and older)
Cough, which may produce phlegm
Fatigue
Fever, sweating and shaking chills
Lower than normal body temperature (in adults older than age 65 and people with weak immune systems)
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Shortness of breath

Newborns and infants may not show any sign of the infection. Or they may vomit, have a fever and cough, appear restless or tired and without energy, or have difficulty breathing and eating.