Health officials in Bali are responding to a surge in cases of pneumonia among infants and children, with 155 cases of Acute Respiratory Infection (ISPA) developing into pneumonia reported in January 2026 alone, according to the Bali Provincial Health Office.
The increase has prompted the provincial health department to strengthen early detection efforts and promote complete immunization coverage for children, officials said. Pneumonia often originates as an initial upper respiratory infection, known as ISPA, according to Antara News Bali.
Dr. Ida Ayu Ika Wari Utami, a pulmonologist at RSUD Wangaya Hospital in Denpasar, explained that ISPA is an acute infection of the respiratory tract, most commonly caused by viruses such as Rhinovirus, coronavirus, and influenza virus. Transmission occurs through droplets released when coughing or sneezing.
“ISPA is very vulnerable in children and the elderly, as well as people who have compromised immune systems,” Dr. Utami stated, citing patients with a history of cancer or kidney failure as particularly susceptible. She advised adopting a clean and healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, mask-wearing in public, frequent handwashing, and influenza and pneumococcal immunization to prevent ISPA.
The highest concentrations of pneumonia cases reported in January 2026 were in Tabanan (55 cases), Klungkung (44 cases), and Denpasar (34 cases). Buleleng reported 22 cases, whereas Badung, Gianyar, and other regions reported no cases in the early part of the year, according to data from the Bali Provincial Health Office.
The Bali Provincial Health Office is urging parents to be vigilant for warning signs in children, including rapid breathing, nasal flaring during respiration, and chest retractions. “If cough and cold begin to be accompanied by shortness of breath, immediately take [the child] to a health facility,” said I Gusti Ayu Raka Susanti, Head of the Prevention and Control of Diseases (P2P) at the Bali Provincial Health Office. “The key to handling pneumonia is speed of detection before it develops into respiratory failure.”
Officials are continuing to investigate the epidemiological factors contributing to the outbreak and are encouraging hospitals and health centers to actively report cases to facilitate further investigation.
