Can pneumonia be more deadlier than coronavirus?
Beijing, July 10: A recent study published in an open-access American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) article investigating the differences in CT findings between coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia and influenza virus pneumonia found that most lesions from COVID-19 were located in the peripheral zone and close to the pleura, whereas influenza virus was more prone to show mucoid impaction and pleural effusion.
The study was based on a total of 97 patients (49 women, 48 men) who were enrolled in this. Of them, 52 patients (29 men, 23 women; age range, 21-73 years) had COVID-19 pneumonia; 45 patients (26 women, 19 men; age range, 15-76 years) had influenza virus pneumonia (28, influenza A; 17, influenza B).
Meanwhile, China has warned its citizens living in Kazakhstan of a local "unknown pneumonia" which, it said, has a "much higher" fatality rate than the COVID-19 disease, prompting the Central Asian country to dismiss it as "fake news."
The "unknown pneumonia in Kazakhstan caused 1,772 deaths in the first six months of the year, including 628 people in June alone", the Chinese embassy in the central Asian country said in a statement on its WeChat platform on Thursday, adding that the fatalities also included Chinese citizens.
However, Kazakhstan has dismissed as "fake news" the warning put out by the Chinese embassy.
So, what are the signs of pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection of one or both sides of the lungs that causes the air sacs (medically known as the alveoli) to fill up with fluid or pus, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Pneumonia can be caused by a bacteria, virus, or fungus. Symptoms can vary, but may include the following:
Cough
Shortness of breath
Chest pain during breathing or coughing
Increased phlegm that's green, grey, or yellow in color
Fever
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Fatigue
You can also develop complications of pneumonia, like septic shock, lung abscesses, renal failure, and respiratory failure.