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Walking pneumonia resulted from the deterioration of air quality in the state.
People with the disease were allowed to continue their regular activities
The air quality in metropolitan cities especially in Delhi has been oscillating between severe to severe plus categories of late. This issue has led to an increase in the number of medical complications among people. This worst-case scenario is not only affecting the people who are sick, but also the healthy individuals. Recently, there have been cases of a rare disease called walking pneumonia. Walking pneumonia is a non-medical term that basically refers to a mild case of pneumonia that results from inflammation of the airways and mucus build-up in the air sacs of the lungs. Often called silent pneumonia, the disease is caused by the common bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae. It got its name in the 1930s because people with the disease were allowed to continue their regular activities and did not require hospitalisation or prolonged bed rest.
Recently, severe pollution has further aggravated the symptoms in patients. According to a 2009 study, people who spend a year in high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and fine particles are twice as likely to develop pneumonia.
However, this disease is very different from common pneumonia. Common pneumonia affects a specific part or region of the lungs. It causes inflammation of the lung tissue and the air sacs fill with fluid. This makes breathing difficult and leads to coughing. While walking pneumonia occurs sporadically, it becomes fully infected when environmental factors such as pollution make it worse.
This disease mostly affects the youngest age group, which is between five and 14 years. It can also affect people under the age of 40.
People with asthma, chronic illnesses, weakened immune systems, and those taking steroids for certain medical conditions are also more likely to be infected by the virus.
The symptoms of walking pneumonia are similar to those of the flu. These include fever, chills, cough, headache, sore throat, weakness, and rashes. Additionally, a person suffering from walking pneumonia may experience symptoms such as mild shortness of breath. These can also be severe. They persist for more than three to five days. It is usually diagnosed by a physical examination or X-ray.
The disease spreads when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs, or sneezes near others. This happens because respiratory droplets of the germ float in the air. In the case of viruses, the spread of infection is faster. The carrier has an infectious period of 10 days which usually spreads in busy places such as colleges and schools.
If the infection is bacterial, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. If it is viral, the infection clears up on its own. Only symptomatic care is required.
Know the different measures to prevent this condition:
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It is necessary to get a flu vaccine every year to prevent flu-related pneumonia.
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Although there is no vaccine to prevent viral or mycoplasma pneumonia, some people should get a vaccine to prevent pneumococcal pneumonia.
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It is also necessary to get enough sleep, follow a healthy diet, and exercise.
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In order to wash hands, it is necessary to use warm and soapy water thoroughly.
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To prevent the spread of these viruses, it is a must to cover the mouth, while sneezing or coughing and ask others to do the same.
