Pneumonia hospitalizations rose dramatically last year, Canadian data shows

A sign for a hospital in Montreal, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

TORONTO — The Canadian Institute for Health Information says pneumonia hospitalizations rose by almost one-third across Canada last year.

The data released Thursday shows kids between five and 17 years old were especially hard hit, with pneumonia hospitalizations more than doubling over the previous year.

Dr. Jesse Papenburg, an infectious disease specialist at Montreal Children’s Hospital, says CIHI’s numbers reflect what health-care workers already sensed — that the 2024-2025 respiratory illness season was unusually busy for pneumonia.

Papenburg says last year’s very bad flu season was likely a major driver of the pneumonia surge.

Viral pneumonia can be a serious complication of the flu.

Papenburg says influenza infection can also lead to bacterial pneumonia, because it affects the cells in the respiratory tract and makes it easier for bacteria to get in.

“It’s not uncommon for somebody 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 they got much worse and presented with what is a classic case of bacterial pneumonia,” he said.

Another factor likely affecting the rise in pneumonia hospitalizations is last year’s unusual spike in “walking pneumonia” cases, especially among kids, Papenburg said.

People with walking pneumonia, caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria, generally have milder symptoms — including cough, fever and fatigue — than patients with other types of pneumonia and usually recover on their own.

But even though the proportion of people with severe cases of walking pneumonia remained small, the sheer number of cases led to more patients requiring hospitalization than in other years, Papenburg said.

The CIHI data said pneumonia hospitalizations exceeded pre-pandemic levels across all age groups.

Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Alberta, said that in addition to a nastier flu season and the prevalence of mycoplasma pneumoniae, pneumonia cases could be rising because different strains of bacteria may be circulating that we didn’t develop immunity to during the pandemic.

The CIHI data includes pneumonia hospitalizations between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025.

Hospitalizations for children and youth increased by 143 per cent over the previous year — from 2,698 patients to 6,547.

Pneumonia hospitalizations rose by 34 per cent for adults aged 18 to 64 and by 22 per cent for seniors 65 years old and over.

Papenburg said it’s too early to tell whether or not pneumonia hospitalizations are up again this year.

Parents can help protect their children against severe pneumonia by ensuring they are up-to-date on their vaccinations, he said.

A vaccine for the most common bacteria that cause severe pneumonia is part of the routine childhood immunization schedule, Papenburg said.

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2026.

Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.