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Eye flu cases on rise in Dimapur; about 65 cases reported daily in district hospital
Majority of patients are school-going children
Advisory for Conjunctivitis
Symptoms
- Redness in the white of the eye or inner eyelid
- Increased amount of tears
- Thick yellow discharge that crusts over the eyelashes (especially after sleep)
- Green or white discharge from the eye
- Itchy eyes
- Burning eyes
- Blurred vision
- Increased sensitivity to light
DIMAPUR — Nagaland is witnessing a surge in cases of conjunctivitis, also referred to as ‘pink eye’ and ‘eye flu’, with about 60 to 65 cases being reported daily at Dimapur District Hospital (DHD) alone.
The state’s department of Health and Family Welfare had issued an advisory last month to curb the spread of conjunctivitis following its sudden outbreak in the country.
Dr. Asonla Aying Chang, senior specialist at DHD, told Eastern Mirror that the first cases of conjunctivitis in Dimapur were reported in the last part of July, and since then, there has been a gradual increase in the number of cases.
Presently, on an average, the district hospital receives 60 to 65 cases daily, she said.
Among the conjunctivitis patients, majority are school-going children and students staying in hostels and boarding schools, though adults and elderly persons also come for treatment, she said.
She informed that the district hospital first conducted conjunctival swab tests on patients who registered for OPD (eye) on August 3, and the results showed that most patients had mixed infection.
In order to curb the spread of the infection, the senior specialist said, they are raising awareness by asking people to wash their hands frequently and to avoid sharing an infected person’s towel, pen, spectacles and other items.
Chang also informed that they recommend dark glasses for patients who are photophobic. However, she clarified that dark glasses do not prevent infection from spreading to others as it can be spread through direct or indirect contact.
She advised infected persons not to buy medicine blindly from the pharmacy but seek medical help and treatment from hospital and eye specialists.
Advising women to avoid using eye cosmetics during the infection period, she said, “Practice good hygiene and do not touch your eyes with hands.”
Further, if a student is infected, the doctor recommended staying at home for a couple of days during the active period of infection to avoid infecting other children.
On the number of days needed to recover from the infection, the doctor said it cannot be ascertained as it may vary from cases to case.
Conjunctivitis is an irritation or inflammation of the conjunctiva, which covers the white part of the eyeball, and it can be caused by allergies, bacterial or viral infection. It can be extremely contagious and it is spread by contact, usually with objects which have come into contact with the infected person’s eye secretions.
The common symptoms of the disease include redness, itching and tearing of the eyes. It can also lead to discharge or crusting around the eyes and sensitivity to light called photophobia.