TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Pneumonia claims 17,000 lives annually in Taiwan, with 90% of these cases occurring among seniors, the Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan said Thursday.
Chang Feng-yee (張峰義), association chair and infectious disease physician at Tri-Service General Hospital, said that a high proportion of seniors in Taiwan have chronic illnesses, making them more susceptible to developing severe complications or even dying from pneumonia. He warned that the bacteria causing pneumonia are becoming increasingly resistant to many commonly used antibiotics, making treatment more challenging.
Chang said that pneumonia ranked as the fourth leading cause of death in Taiwan last year and the third in 2023. He noted that pneumonia may lead to severe complications such as sepsis, inflammation of the membranes around the brain, and bone infection if not treated promptly, per CNA.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan recorded 188 pneumonia cases in the first half of this year, the highest number for the same period over the past six years.
Chang said only about 24.9% of seniors in Taiwan have received two doses of the pneumonia vaccine. He estimated that approximately 47% of seniors have never received a pneumonia vaccination. Furthermore, a ministry survey last year found that 59.3% of individuals in Taiwan believed they were not in a high-risk group for pneumonia and chose not to get vaccinated.
The ministry said that since October 2023, it has offered two free doses of the pneumonia vaccine to individuals aged 65 and older. Starting in March, the program was expanded to include high-risk individuals aged 19 to 64, such as those with impaired spleen function, weakened immune systems, or cancer treatments involving radiation therapy within the past year.
Taiwan Immunization Vision and Strategy Chair Lee Ping-ing (李秉穎) said the bacteria causing pneumonia often lie dormant in the nasal cavity before symptoms appear, and the risk of infection is not limited to any particular season. He emphasized the importance of vaccination to aid protection.
