An NHS doctor has issued a stark warning about the deadly signs of pneumonia, following concerns raised when Boris Johnson’s wife, Carrie, was hospitalised after her flu infection developed into a serious lung condition. The chilling statistic that one in ten patients admitted to hospital with pneumonia does not survive has been highlighted as the NHS grapples with an influx of severe cases, with over 5,000 people requiring hospital treatment daily.
NHS Scotland reported a near four-fold increase in flu-related deaths in the first week of this year compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, data from NHS England reveals an average of 5,408 flu patients were occupying beds each day last week, including 256 in critical care – a rise of 21% from the previous week’s figure of 4,469, which included 211 in critical care.
Carrie Johnson spent nearly a week in hospital battling flu and pneumonia, having struggled with breathing due to a chest infection, she revealed in an Instagram post. The wife of the former Prime Minister warned that she is yet to fully recover and it could be “it could take another few weeks until I feel like myself again”.
In her post, she hailed NHS nurses and doctors as “the best people on earth” and strongly advised people to get the flu jab.
TV doctor Mark Porter, known for his appearances on BBC Breakfast and Good Morning Britain, has shared some crucial advice on how to spot if pneumonia develops from your illness. Writing in The Times, Dr Porter warned that flu can lead to complications ranging from ear infections and febrile convulsions to heart failure, paralysis (Guillain-Barré syndrome) and stillbirth.
He emphasised: “It is the impact on the respiratory system that causes the biggest problems.”
Recent research from Japan, he noted, revealed that 1 in 300 flu infections develop into pneumonia, with it being much more prevalent in older people. He explained: “The odds of recovery vary with the individual and the cause of their pneumonia. Most cases in people with flu are due to secondary bacterial infection and, if sick enough to require hospital admission, then about one in ten will not survive,rising to one in three for those that need intensive care.”
He added: “The older you are, and the more underlying health issues you have, the greater the risk.”
A significant issue with flu, according to Dr Porter, is that it often makes people feel terrible, making it harder to spot worrying symptoms of a more serious infection compared to milder viral coughs and colds.
He said: “The cough itself is a poor indicator of severity. Innocent viral coughs and colds can easily last two to three weeks, sound “chesty” and produce yellow or green phlegm, while a child with pneumonia may just have a nagging dry cough.”
Dr Porter, a medical expert, has issued a warning about the red flags of severe flu symptoms. He stated: “New shortness of breath, particularly if severe enough to be noticeable at rest, should always raise concerns. Chest pain, often on taking a deep breath, is another red flag, as is coughing up blood or blood-tinged phlegm. And check your pulse. A resting heart rate consistently more than 100 in an adult is concerning.”
He also noted that fever can differentiate milder viral causes of cough from pneumonia, but cautioned that flu often causes high temperatures too, which can confuse diagnosis.
Dr Porter advised that early detection of secondary chest infection and pneumonia can lead to successful treatment with antibiotics at home, especially for those with underlying health issues. He urged people to get a flu vaccination where possible.
