DOH: No reported cases of ‘walking pneumonia’ in PH yet

FILE: People still wearing face masks while walking in the pedestrian lane along the intersection of Taft Avenue and Pedro Gil Street in Manila City on Wednesday (Sept. 14, 2022). (PNA photo by Alfred Frias)

MANILA – There are no local cases of “walking pneumonia” logged in the country as the illness causes outbreaks in China and Denmark, a health official said on Monday.

“So far, this has not been reported simply because these are not being routinely tested,” Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Eric Tayag said in a television interview.

Walking pneumonia is an illness caused mycoplasma bacteria and is characterized by cold-like symptoms, a low-grade fever and a hacking cough.

Children infected with this type of pneumonia do not feel sick enough to lay on the bed to rest, thus the term “walking” pneumonia.

Tayag said the illness has been recorded in the country before but doctors nowadays prescribe antibiotics to suspected patients immediately to address their symptoms.

Earlier, the DOH reported a slowdown in the increase of influenza-like cases nationwide.

As of Nov. 11, the agency recorded 182,721 patients which were cases of influenza A and B, and coronavirus disease 2019.

“There was only clustering of cases and no outbreak of infections was reported in any region,” Tayag said.

He advised everyone to observe social distancing, wearing of face masks especially among those who have cough and colds, frequent hand washing and getting vaccinated.