CDC officials are urging high-risk adults to get pneumonia and H1N1 vaccinations.
Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) — As H1N1 cases are rising, so are bacterial pneumonia cases, health officials are finding.
They’re seeing an increase in flu complications leading to pneumonia. At the same time, the flu is at record levels because of the new H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu.
The number of cases is outpacing the typical number of regular flu cases at this time of year. Cases of regular flu usually peak between December and May.
“We’re seeing an increase in serious pneumococcal infectious around the country,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, who heads the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC tracks pneumococcal infections with help from 10 state health departments.
For instance, Denver, Colorado, averages about 20 cases of pneumonia in October during a regular flu season, Schuchat said. But “in October 2009, they had nearly triple that number.”
The Denver area has seen 58 flu-related pneumonia cases, and at least two-thirds of those sickened were aged 20 to 60, she said. Full Story
