On November 12th, World Pneumonia Day raises awareness for this deadly disease. It’s also a day that the world takes a stand and demands action for the fight against pneumonia.
Pneumonia is an infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to become filled with fluid or pus. When this occurs, oxygen levels are reduced and breathing becomes very difficult. Each year, this infectious disease claims the lives of 2.5 million people throughout the world. This number includes 672,000 children. Pneumonia is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5. One of the leading risk factors for pneumonia is air pollution. Nearly one-third of all pneumonia deaths are attributed to polluted air. Deadly air pollution not only occurs outdoors but indoors as well.
Infants, children, and seniors over the age of 65 are at the greatest risk of dying from pneumonia. Children are more susceptible to getting pneumonia from indoor air pollution. Many developing countries cook with wood, charcoal, dung, and coal on open fires. All of these things cause indoor air pollution. Other things that pollute indoor air include tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, asbestos, paint, mold, dust, and synthetic fragrances. Causes for outdoor air pollution include exhaust from vehicles and pollutants emitted by industries.
Source: https://stoppneumonia.org
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