[pikma]

Actually my wife had a bad cold this summer and she coughed so hard during the night that we had to take her to the ER and she was lacking oxygen (not sure by how much). She is otherwise healthy in her early 30s, though she was pregnant, which might have made it worse. It surprised me, I always thought that colds were harmless.

[Enginerrrd]

Yeah, they're really not. I was a paramedic about 10 years ago. Every winter I'd see colds or influenza kill people. (Or at least, initiate convalescence and subsequent rapid death from related issues within a few weeks.) Always though, those were people who were either very old or had COPD (a lung disease). It's a common way that people go out actually. A cold leads to weakness/stress leads to pneuomonia/UTI's/sepsis and then death.

[smt88]

Colds kill thousands of people every year and some may have lifelong effects, such as neurological impairment or heart damage.

[UncleOxidant]

> though she was pregnant, which might have made it worse.

Being pregnant does dampen the immune system.