In 2008, total number of children under 5 years who died from pneumococcal diseases was 476,000 deaths globally as compared to 826,000 in 2000. 

On average about 75% of invasive pneumococcal diseases and 83% of pneumococcal meningitis occur in children aged <2 years. Case fatality rates can be high for invasive pneumococcal diseases, ranging up to 20% for pneumococcal bacteremia and 50% for pneumococcal meningitis in developing countries. Mortality is greatest in younger infants. 

In 2008, pneumonia was responsible for about 19% of deaths in children aged less than five years in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Of these, about 50% were caused by S. pneumonia. It is estimated that more than 1.5 million cases of pneumococcal pneumonia, resulting in more than 100 000 deaths in children aged less than five years have occurred in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.