Ernie Anastos cause of death: What happened to the iconic NYC news anchor? Expert explains dangerous affects of pneumonia

Ernie Anastos, iconic New York City TV news anchor, has died at 82, his family confirmed. His wife said he died of pneumonia at Northern Westchester Hospital. Pulmonologist explains how pneumonia damages lungs' arteries and causes death.

Ernie Anastos cause of death: Iconic New York City news anchor, Ernie Anastos, died at the age of 82. According to the reports, he was battling severe pneumonia symptoms and his lungs were completely damaged. In an official statement, Anastos' wife said that he was suffering from pneumonia and was admitted at the Northern Westchester Hospital, CBS News, where Anastos most recently worked.

Born in 1943, Anastos was widely recognized as the first Greek American television news anchor in the US. After graduating from Northeastern University in Boston, he began his media career in radio. He worked as a newsman at Boston stations WRKO and WROR under the pseudonym Ernie Andrews.

While his death has left his fans and family in shock, experts have also highlighted how this often 'silent' disease can completely damage the system within the human body giving zero chances of survival.

According to UNICEF, pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death in children under five, killing over 700,000 children annually (approx. 2,000 per day) and accounting for 14-15% of all under-five deaths. While preventable and treatable, it largely impacts children in South Asia and Africa. It is caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi.

What Is Pneumonia? Understanding The Silent Lung Disease

Pneumonia, also known as the 'silent lung disease', is a fatal health condition that impairs the cells, increases fluid and pus accumulation in the organ - and eventually damages the lungs completely. In medical terms, pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that is most commonly caused by viruses or bacteria. It can cause mild to life-threatening illness in people of all ages, however it is the single largest infectious cause of death in children worldwide.

Explaining the dangerous side of this fatal health condition, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said - "Pneumonia killed more than 808 000 children under the age of 5 in 2017, accounting for 15% of all deaths of children under 5 years. People at-risk for pneumonia also include adults over the age of 65 and people with preexisting health problems."

The lungs are made up of small sacs called alveoli, which fill with air when a healthy person breathes. When an individual has pneumonia, the alveoli are filled with pus and fluid, which makes breathing painful and limits oxygen intake. These infections are generally spread by direct contact with infected people.

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