Pneumonia cases spike, but mortality down due to COVID testing

The government hospitals in the city saw a spurt in pneumonia cases even last year, recording 5,000 cases in 2020 and a similar trend is seen repeating the past few weeks. While COVID-19 pneumonia numbers are high, the symptoms of non-COVID pneumonia are also becoming common in patients.

“We have seen a surge in pneumonia cases past three weeks, especially in paediatric pneumonia cases. In most of the cases, the early symptoms visible was that of fever and diarrhoea. Most of these pneumonia cases are not COVID-19 related and have to be managed. While the adult cases are also getting reported, about 60 per cent of the patients are below 12 years of age,” said Dr A Lavanya, consultant of general medicine at Stanley Medical College and Hospital.

The Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital has recorded about 270 pneumonia cases in past one month and the hospital authorities say there is an increasing trend of pneumonia cases at the hospital though the mortality rate is lower than the previous year.

“The pneumonia cases are common in November and December. But there has been a sudden spike in the cases and COVID-19 like symptoms sometimes delay the treatment process. The mortality is low as people are getting tested immediately due to fear of COVID-19. However, cases among paediatrics surface late and have a high risk of mortality. We are seeing such 7-8 cases a day,” says Vishnuvardhan, medico at general medicine department at Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.

Talking about paediatric patients, the doctors say the pneumococcal vaccines have been administered to children this year and it is believed the numbers will be lower compared to previous years as vaccination is helping in preventing the risk of pneumonia.

The Institute of Child Health is seeing about 10 cases of pneumonia daily. “About 1.30 lakh children have already been vaccinated with pneumococcal vaccines and though seasonal changes are causing a surge in cases, the infections are in control and lower than the previous year. The mortality rate is also low,” said Dr S Srinivasan, State Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Coordinator.