It’s not tracked in Canada, but anecdotally, doctors are saying there seems to be more cases of walking pneumonia in recent months, especially in young children. The same is true for Saskatchewan. The Head of Clinical Microbiology at Royal University Hospital and at USask’s College of Medicine, Dr. Joe Blondeau, describes walking pneumonia as a milder version of what can be a more acute pneumonia.

The U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention announced last month that there has been increase in walking pneumonia, and it began last spring. Some of the symptoms Dr. Blondeau lists are feeling generally unwell, a sore throat, fever, chills, cough and some chest pain or discomfort. sneezing could also be a symptom. He says in Canada, walking pneumonia isn’t officially reported.

Blondeau adds that looking at recent data, children aged two and under are most at risk, along with anyone over 65, anyone who is immunocompromised or who has chronic lung disease.