World Pneumonia Day

Why in the news?

• World Pneumonia Day is celebrated every year on 12 November.
• On this day people are made aware about pneumonia.
• The theme of this day in the year 2024 is- 'Every Breath Counts, Stop Pneumonia in Its Tracks'
  • This means that every breath is important and hence efforts should be made to prevent pneumonia. 

Pneumonia:

• It is a serious infection in the lungs.
• It is caused by bacteria, virus, or fungal infection.
• Its symptoms:
  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Blueness in hands, feet and mouth
  • Very fast breathing; etc.
  • It is counted as a leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age.
• People with heart disease, chronic lung disease, asthma, COPD, kidney disease, and cancer are at higher risk.
• A person suffering from asthma has a six to seven times higher risk of getting pneumonia than others.
• It is treated with antibiotics, antiviral drugs, or antifungal drugs.