A 34-year-old is dead after battling pneumonia, according to several news reports. 

“It is rare for it to progress and become fatal for a young and otherwise healthy person,” explained Dr. Patrick Whipple at MEA in Canton. “I would absolutely say that. Obviously not impossible but very rare.”

Sniffling, coughing, even a low grade fever are all par for the course in the winter months. But says pneumonia has some different red flags.

“Cough’s going to be a really bad cough,” noted Whipple. “Frequently it’s productive. Instead of having a low grade fever 99-100, many times you can get a fever 102-103. Whenever you have pain with breathing in or if you have shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.”