Three children have died from the flu in Tonga, local media reports said today Sunday 5.
The children were seriously ill and died from influenza and pneumonia, TBC reported, quoting a confirmation of the victims’ cause of death, from Vaiola Hospital.
No details were released about the victims.
According to the World Health Organisation, pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that is most commonly caused by viruses or bacteria. It can cause mild to life-threatening illness in people of all ages, however it is the single largest infectious cause of death in children worldwide.
Pneumonia killed more than 808 000 children under the age of 5 in 2017, accounting for 15% of all deaths of children under 5 years. People at-risk for pneumonia also include adults over the age of 65 and people with preexisting health problems.
The lungs are made up of small sacs called alveoli, which fill with air when a healthy person breathes. When an individual has pneumonia, the alveoli are filled with pus and fluid, which makes breathing painful and limits oxygen intake. These infections are generally spread by direct contact with infected people.
Vaccines can help prevent pneumonia.
Signs and symptoms
Depending on the severity of the pneumonia, signs and symptoms may include:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fever, sweating and shaking chills
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
- Confusion, especially in older adults
Flu signs and symptoms
Seasonal influenza is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, severe malaise (feeling unwell), sore throat and a runny nose. The cough can be severe and can last 2 or more weeks. Most people recover from fever and other symptoms within a week without requiring medical attention. But influenza can cause severe illness or death especially in people at high risk (see below).
Illnesses range from mild to severe and even death. Hospitalization and death occur mainly among high risk groups. Worldwide, these annual epidemics are estimated to result in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness, and about 290 000 to 650 000 respiratory deaths.
In industrialized countries most deaths associated with influenza occur among people age 65 or older (1). Epidemics can result in high levels of worker/school absenteeism and productivity losses. Clinics and hospitals can be overwhelmed during peak illness periods.
The effects of seasonal influenza epidemics in developing countries are not fully known, but research estimates that 99% of deaths in children under 5 years of age with influenza related lower respiratory tract infections are found in developing countries (2).
