Pneumonia outbreak kills five children in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: A pneumonia surge in Punjab killed five more children with 679 new cases registered during the past 24 hours, ARY News reported.

According to Punjab Health Department, the provincial capital Lahore registered 156 new cases during the said period.

The largest province in the country so far this year recorded 316 deaths and 20,267 cases due to the deadly disease, whereas Lahore only reported 58 deaths and 3,873 cases.

The current surge in pneumonia-related deaths indicates a troubling trend, with over 85 children lost their lives in the past week—14 on January 24, 12 on January 25, 13 on January 26, seven on January 27, 18 on January 28, three on January 29, 14 on January 30 and 7 on February 2 with additional 13 children have reportedly died from the disease on last date of this December.

Health experts attribute the rise in pneumonia cases in Punjab to the prevalent winter season and the resulting air pollution, especially smog, which has been identified as a significant factor contributing to the spike in pneumonia cases.

Pneumonia, characterized by an infection in the lungs, is predominantly caused by viral infections, and its symptoms can appear after experiencing a cold or flu. It can range from mild to severe, with young children, especially those under five years old, being more susceptible to the disease.