If you've been hearing about walking pneumonia this fall more than you might have in years past, or possibly ever, there's a reason for that. The bacterial infection's numbers have been rising in Ohio and nationally since the late spring and early summer months,

Young children have seen the highest jump in infections because they had little opportunity to develop immunities before pandemic lockdowns.

In October, the CDC wrote that since late spring, the number of infections caused by walking pneumonia has been increasing, especially among young children.

A type of pneumonia infection that’s increasing in the U.S. prompted a warning from the CDC. It’s historically been linked to the phrase “walking pneumonia,” which is a mild form of pneumonia.

The other respiratory infection experts are watching closely is atypical (walking) pneumonia. Dr. Michel Hirsh, Worcester’s medical director and the chief pediatric surgeon at UMass Memorial Health, said he was told by Dr. Jean-Marc Gauguet, a diagnostic radiologist at UMass Memorial, that X-rays show a lot of kids with walking pneumonia.

The bacterial infection's numbers have been rising nationally and in Ohio since the late spring and early summer months.

Coughing, sore throat and fatigue are overlapping symptoms between different infections and viruses such as flu and COVID. Allergies may also mask as something contagious.

UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics is seeing pneumonia, viral upper respiratory infections and an increase in cases of herpangina, which causes a high fever and sores in the mouth and throat. Doctors say if your child is receiving treatment for an illness but is not improving,