At least 40 people have died from pneumonia in recent weeks

Health Ministry authorities reported that 979 patients were treated for the disease in the first two weeks of August.

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August 24, 2023 – 14:05

Respiratory diseases, including viral infections, covid-19 and pneumonia, increased in the first two weeks of August, the Ministry of Health confirmed.

Authorities reported through epidemiological bulletins that at least 440 people had died from pneumonia-related complications as of 12 August. Among them, at least 40 Salvadorans died from the disease between July 22 and August 12.

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By week 32, authorities had recorded a cumulative 14,101 cases of the disease. It is worth noting that in the past two epidemiological weeks, 979 patients have been treated across the country.

The information detailed that 72% of deaths occurred in adults over the age of 60. The disease has a mortality rate of 5%.

The most relapsed patients were children under the age of five, with a total of 7,458 pediatric cases. The highest concentration of cases was recorded in the province of San Salvador with 3,772, followed by San Miguel with 2,149 and La Union with 1,161.

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Health experts have been sounding the alarm over the past few weeks as the number of patients with mild respiratory illnesses has risen while fewer patients need to be admitted to hospital. The medical school was among the first to sound the alarm about the rise in these diseases and asked the authorities for updated information to take sweeping measures.

Another issue affecting the population is the increase in covid-19 cases, which the health department has acknowledged and said they had 20 positive cases, but these figures do not match the reality experienced by private sector infection specialists who have been in a week Up to 20 patients who tested positive were treated within the hospital.

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