CIHI says the number of people hospitalized due to pneumonia increased dramatically in Canada last respiratory disease season
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According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), the number of hospitalizations due to pneumonia increased by nearly a third last respiratory illness season compared to the previous period.
Children aged five to 17 years particularly affected during 2024-2025 pneumonia hospitalization According to statistics, more than double compared to the previous period.
Dr. Jesse Papenberg, an infectious disease specialist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, said the CIHI data shows what health-care workers already realized — that it was an unusually busy time for pneumonia.
Papenberg said last year’s bad flu season was likely a major reason for the increase in pneumonia.
Pediatricians across Canada are closely monitoring a rise in cases of atypical pneumonia, also known as walking pneumonia, which can cause serious complications for infected children.
Viral pneumonia can be a serious complication of the flu.
Papenberg said influenza infection can also lead to bacterial pneumonia because it affects cells in the respiratory tract and makes it easier for bacteria to enter.
“It’s not unusual for someone to say, well, they had this influenza-like illness. They were starting to get better, they were feeling better and then all of a sudden, their condition got much worse and a classic case of bacterial pneumonia occurred.”
Papenberg said another factor influencing the increase in pneumonia hospitalizations is the unusual increase in cases of “walking pneumonia” last year, especially in children.
People with walking pneumonia, caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria, usually have milder symptoms than patients with other types of pneumonia – including cough, fever and fatigue, and they usually recover on their own.
But even though the proportion of people with severe cases of walking pneumonia remained low, their sheer numbers resulted in more patients needing hospitalization than in other years, Papenberg said.
CIHI data said the number of pneumonia hospitalizations across all age groups has exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
Doctors advise to stay updated about vaccination
Dr. Lenora Saxinger, an infectious disease expert at the University of Alberta, said that in addition to a bad flu season and the prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, cases of pneumonia may increase because different strains of bacteria may be circulating to which we have not developed immunity during the pandemic.
CIHI data includes cases of pneumonia hospitalized between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.
The number of hospitalizations for children and young people increased by 143 per cent compared to the previous year – from 2,698 patients to 6,547.
The rate of hospitalization due to pneumonia increased by 34 percent among adults ages 18 to 64 and by 22 percent among seniors ages 65 and older.
Papenberg said it’s too early to tell whether the number of hospitalizations due to pneumonia will increase again this year, but parents can help protect their children from serious pneumonia by making sure they are up to date on their vaccinations.
A vaccine for the most common bacteria that causes severe pneumonia is part of the routine childhood vaccination program, he said.
