Unexplained child pneumonia cases now spike in parts of Europe as alarming surge continues in China

Pneumonia cases in children are unexpectedly surging in the Netherlands at an alarming rate — at the same time as China continues to grapple with a tidal wave of respiratory illnesses threatening to overwhelm its hospitals.

Last week, 80 out of every 100,000 children in the Netherlands between ages 5 and 15 were treated for pneumonia, reported the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL).

Pneumonia cases among tots ages 4 and under were also on the rise, jumping from 124 to 145 per 100,000.

This is the biggest pneumonia outbreak the Utrecht-based research institute has recorded in recent years.

For comparison, at the height of the flu season in 2022, there were 60 recorded cases of every 100,000 children in the 5-to-15 age group.