More than 200 children die in Pakistan from a pneumonia outbreak.

picture: Online

The federal government announced on Friday that over 200 children have died in the Punjab state of Pakistan from pneumonia as a result of the excessive cold over the previous three weeks.

As per the Punjab caretaker administration, a majority of children who died "had inappropriate immunity due to lack of breastfeeding, were underweight, and were not vaccinated against pneumonia." 

Because of the severe weather, the government has already declared that morning assemblies in all of the province's schools will not be held until January 31.

10,520 cases of pneumonia have been recorded in the province since January 1. Of the 220 deaths, 47 happened in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, and all of the deaths affected children under the age of five.

According to Mukhtar Ahmed, the director of Punjab's Expanded Programme on Immunization, newborns in Pakistan often receive their first dose of the PCV vaccine, which prevents pneumonia, six weeks after birth.

"Three immunizations are for pneumonia protection, and the EPI guarantees that a child receives 12 vaccines against various diseases from birth to age two," he stated.

"Vaccinated children are safe against bacterial infection, but they can still be harmed by viral pneumonia. Pneumonia can be caused by both bacteria and viruses."

To avoid acquiring pneumonia, the government has instructed children to wash their hands, wear masks and dress warmly.

It stated, "990 children in Punjab died of pneumonia last year," and it was extremely concerning that the number of children with pneumonia infections in the region was rising.

Senior physicians have been advised by the government to take preventative measures to shield children from pneumonia.

It stated that as the temperature drops, the prevalence of viral pneumonia in children is rising quickly. This illness spreads similarly to COVID-19.