Pneumonia Deaths Surpass Influenza and COVID-19

The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Mortality Surveillance reported on October 27, 2023, that most respiratory disease deaths last week were related to pneumonia, not COVID-19 or influenza.

During week #42, the NCHS reported 1,379 pneumonia deaths, compared with 637 COVID-19 and 20 influenza.

While these diseases have U.S. FDA-approved vaccines available in 2023, preventing pneumonia deaths is more complicated, as viruses, bacteria, and fungi can all cause pneumonia.

According to the U.S. CDC, pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can cause mild to severe illness in people of all ages.

Globally, pneumonia claimed the lives of 2.5 million people, including 672,000 children, in 2019 alone.

Vaccines can help prevent most pneumonia cases caused by pneumococcus bacteria, SARS-CoV-2, or influenza viruses.

These immunizations include

• COVID-19
• Haemophilus influenzae type b
• Influenza
• Measles
• Pertussis
• Pneumococcal
• Respiratory syncytial virus
• Varicella

According to the CDC, these immunizations are safe and may be coadministered. But side effects can occur which are usually mild and go away on their own within a few days.

These vaccines are generally available at health clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.

Note: The NCHS data presented on October 27, 2023, are preliminary and may change as more data are received and processed.