Nearly eight out of 10 pneumonia cases ended in hospitalization in El Salvador

The Ministry of Health reported that 76% of pneumonia cases required hospitalization between January and October. (Illustrative image Infobae) Around 76% of pneumonia cases recorded between January and October were associated with hospitalizations, according to figures from the Ministry of Health. During that period, 8,623 cases and 6,594 hospital discharges were reported, along with a fatality rate of 3.60%. Children aged one to four accounted for the highest number of diagnoses, with 2,786 cases. They were followed by people aged 60 or older, with 1,958, and infants under one year old, with 1,523. In the last week of October, 211 pneumonia cases were reported. During the year, weeks with figures exceeding 200 diagnoses were also recorded: the first week of 2026 accumulated 263 cases, while between July 5 and 11, 235 were counted. The same number of cases was recorded in the week between August 30 and September 5. The Ministry of Health classified eight municipalities as moderate-affected zones, including La Paz Este, San Salvador Este, Sonsonate Este, and Ahuachapán Sur. Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection most frequently caused by viruses or bacteria. It can cause mild or life-threatening illness in people of all ages, although the World Health Organization (WHO) identifies it as the leading infectious cause of death in children worldwide. Pneumonia causes the accumulation of pus and fluid in the pulmonary alveoli and interferes with oxygen absorption. (Freepik) The lungs are made up of small sacs called alveoli, which fill with air when a healthy person breathes. When a person has pneumonia, the alveoli fill with pus and fluid, making breathing difficult and limiting oxygen intake. The Ministry of Health recorded 102,418 cases of acute respiratory infections between October 4 and 31, a four-week period. During 2026, three peaks of this type of infection were counted: the first occurred in week one, with 38,357 cases. The second was recorded in week 26, between June 28 and July 4, with 34,942 cases. The third corresponded to week 21, between May 24 and 30, when 34,526 cases were reported. As for severe acute respiratory infections, 156 cases were recorded between October 25 and 31. During that month, just over 625 were counted, a lower amount than reported in September, when around 817 cases were recorded. Vaccines can help prevent pneumonia, a respiratory infection that can be caused by viruses or bacteria. The WHO indicates that infections that can cause pneumonia are generally transmitted through direct contact with infected people. The organization also notes that vaccines can help prevent the disease. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), pneumonia caused the deaths of 740,180 children under five in 2019. About 250,000 of those deaths occurred in Latin America. Various infectious agents, including viruses and bacteria, can cause pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae, known as pneumococcus, is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in children, while Haemophilus influenzae type b is the second leading bacterial cause. The WHO identifies respiratory syncytial virus as the main cause of viral pneumonia. It also notes that Pneumocystis jiroveci is associated with pneumonia in infants under six months with HIV infection and causes at least one in every four pneumonia deaths in HIV-positive infants. PAHO indicated that the vaccine era made a difference in the history of the disease caused by pneumococcus and in the resistance of this bacterium.