The city is witnessing a rise in pneumonia and breathlessness cases among kids amid the fluctuating temperatures since the past few weeks. As per the health experts, children, the elderly, and those with diabetes and asthma are most immune to infection. They stressed that to prevent further complications, getting timely medical help is very important.
What are the common symptoms of such pneumonia?
Common symptoms include high grade fever with chills, breathing difficulty, phlegm, a constant and irritating dry cough, cold, fatigue, vomiting, irritability, etc.
Since the last week of December, there has been a sudden jump in cases affecting children and the elderly, especially those with pre-existing lung problems, the senior doctor from the civic-run hospital said.
Dr Chetan Jain, a pulmonologist at the Zynova Shalby Hospital, told the Free Press Journal that due to constant weather changes children with weak immunity and chronic lung problems such as asthma, bronchitis, congenital heart disease, and kidney disease are prone to pneumonia.
“Illnesses are more prevalent in the winter because contagious respiratory droplets spread more readily in dry air when a sick person coughs or sneezes. Patients are often most infectious 2–3 days after becoming ill. They can still spread the infection to others for up to two weeks while recuperating,” he said.
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