Pakistan’s Punjab province has witnessed a rapid surge in pneumonia cases, resulting in the loss of 14 more lives, health department sources said on Wednesday. In the past 24 hours, Punjab has reported a staggering 908 new cases of pneumonia, while Lahore, the provincial capital, recorded 197 fresh cases. This brings the total reported cases of pneumonia in Punjab for the year to 10,000, with Lahore alone reporting 1,570 cases and 45 associated deaths. The high number of cases has also led to extreme shortages of medicine in Lahore, where several children are being treated for various pneumonia, chest and other viral infections.

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.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)