Doctors link air pollution, diabetes to rising pneumonia risk

Doctors across Hyderabad, Lucknow, Indore and Kolkata have warned that pneumonia symptoms should not be mistaken for a common cold, with air pollution, falling temperatures and underlying conditions such as diabetes raising the risk. On World Pneumonia Day, 12 November, the 2026 theme is ‘A New Era of Pneumonia Control’.

In Hyderabad, senior homeopathic physician Dr G. Durgaprasad Rao urged people to watch for cough, fever, difficulty breathing, chest pain and fatigue, and encouraged participation in the Union Health Ministry's SAANS initiative. In Lucknow, paediatrician Prof Shaily Awasthi said children below five are especially vulnerable due to developing lungs and immune systems, while pulmonologists in Indore flagged elderly people and diabetics as high-risk groups. Doctors in all cities cautioned against taking antibiotics without medical advice and stressed vaccination, nutrition and timely diagnosis to prevent complications.

Update, 12 November 2026: Freepress Journal reports that Indore doctors now also warn elderly people and diabetics are at high risk, with a pulmonologist advising pneumococcal vaccination. Times Now runs a symptom listicle from a Kolkata pulmonologist, stating a persistent cough, recurring fever and unusual fatigue can be early signs. Both outlets confirm the same general warnings reported earlier.