KARACHI: After grappling with a rise in vector-borne diseases and viral illnesses, Karachi is now witnessing a surge in pneumonia cases due to changes in the port city’s weather.
As many as 30 cases of pneumonia are being reported daily, revealed the emergency in charge at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH). Civil Hospital’s Dr. Imran Sarwar also reported that around 15 to 20 pneumonia cases were being seen daily at the hospital.
This increase follows reports of numerous cases of dengue, malaria, chikungunya, and other viral infections across the city. According to the Sindh Health Department, at least 411 suspected cases of chikungunya were reported in Sindh, with 153 confirmed after diagnosis. Additionally, 1,724 cases of dengue were reported in Sindh this year, 1,484 of which were in Karachi, resulting in one death. Malaria cases numbered 222,239 in Sindh, with 1,768 diagnosed in Karachi.
Speaking to Geo News, Secretary General of the Pakistan Pediatric Association Dr. Khalid Shafi noted that pneumonia cases typically rise during October, November, and December. Dr. Shafi highlighted the availability of vaccines for certain types of pneumonia, emphasizing that approximately 70,000 deaths occur annually in Pakistan due to the disease. Children under two years of age and adults over 65 are the most vulnerable.
Dr. Shafi described pneumonia symptoms, which often include a cough producing green, yellow, or red mucus, fever, sweating, chills, difficulty breathing, and chest pain, especially when taking deep breaths or coughing.
