ARBUTUS — Health experts are seeing a dramatic increase in walking pneumonia cases.
MedStar Health has 33 urgent care clinics between Virginia, Maryland and D.C.
They saw a 358 percent increase.
In October of 2023, there were 391 patients with pneumonia.
In October of 2024, there were 1789 nine cases.
Amanda Joy is the Associate Medical Director for MedStar Health Urgent Care.
She says the amount of cases they are seeing is shocking.
"When we first noticed the increase, it was the most cases of pneumonia I have diagnosed in my 20 plus year career in emergency medicines and urgent care," said Joy.
Jennifer Drechsler is A Baltimore County mom.
She says three of her four kids had pneumonia over the last year.
Drechsler also coaches cheerleading.
Several of the girls she coaches caught pneumonia as well.
She is aware of the increase and is taking precautions to make sure her kids are healthy.