Pneumonia Was the Leading Cause of Death in Children Under Five Worldwide in 2021

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Erlina Fury Santika 04/12/2023 15:14 WIB

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UNICEF data shows that pneumonia was the leading cause of death among under-five children worldwide in 2021, followed by diarrhea and malaria.

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Pneumonia Was the Leading Cause of Death in Children Under Five Worldwide in 2021

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A United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) report shows that pneumonia was the leading infectious disease causing deaths among children under five (under-fives) worldwide in 2021.

The number reached 725,557 cases in 2021. UNICEF stated that this figure is down 54% from 2000, when there were 1,590,874 deaths.

Globally, there are more than 1,400 pneumonia cases per 100,000 children, or 1 case per 71 children annually. The highest incidence is in South Asia, at 2,500 cases per 100,000 children, followed by West and Central Africa at 1,620 cases per 100,000 children.

UNICEF says pneumonia kills more children than any other infectious disease. A recorded 700,000 under-five children die each year, or about 2,000 children per day. This includes approximately 190,000 newborns.

The next leading infectious disease causing under-five deaths is diarrhea, with 443,833 cases in 2021. Progress in addressing diarrhea is greater than that for pneumonia, with a 63% decrease since 2000, when there were 1,197,044 cases. Diarrhea deaths—the second highest globally in 2000—are now fewer than malaria deaths, which held the second position in 2021.

"Currently, the number of diarrhea deaths is almost half the number of pneumonia deaths," UNICEF wrote on its website.

Other diseases include malaria (449,696 cases), sepsis (172,221 cases), measles (113,861 cases), tetanus/meningitis/encephalitis (109,101 cases), and HIV/AIDS (49,159 cases).

Mysterious Pneumonia in China

According to *Katadata*, the spread of pneumonia in China began in November 2023. At least 7,000 child patients are hospitalized daily.

The main pathogens detected so far are *Streptococcus pneumoniae*, *adenovirus*, and *Mycoplasma pneumoniae*.

Besides China, this lung disease has also been detected in several European countries and the United States. The Chinese Ministry of Health claims that this respiratory illness is not new and is well-known.

Meanwhile, WHO's Officer in Charge of the Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, Maria Van Kerkhove, said the increase in cases in China is likely due to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

Editor : Erlina Fury Santika

"Disclosure: This is an AI-generated translation of the original article. We strive for accuracy, but please note that automated translations may contain errors or slight inconsistencies."

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Pneumonia Was the Leading Cause of Death in Children Under Five Worldwide in 2021

Pneumonia Was the Leading Cause of Death in Children Under Five Worldwide in 2021

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Pneumonia Was the Leading Cause of Death in Children Under Five Worldwide in 2021

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