RAWALPINDI: At least 365 cases of conjunctivitis have been reported in Rawalpindi so far, according to data collected by the District Health Authority (DHA) from the government-run hospitals in the garrison city.

The health authority said viral infections are on the rise among residents, with more than 90,000 cases reported in southern and interior parts of the province. In light of an increase, the caretaker government shut down schools in the city till Monday to contain the spread of the infection.

“Every year, conjunctivitis cases appear in different parts of the country but this year, its spread is fast. Warm humid weather is the main reason behind the rapid spike in eye infections,” said District Health Officer Dr Ehsan Ghani while talking to Dawn.

Though the infection is not deadly, in rare cases it could damage eyesight, the official said, asking people to adopt precautionary measures, particularly good hygiene. He also asked people to refrain from self-medication and seek professional help if required.

Data does not include patients who visited private clinics

Dr Ghani said that the caretaker provincial government has been asked to provide medical facilities and launch public awareness about the safety measures to stop the spread of the disease. “Eye specialists deputed in all tehsil headquarters hospitals in the district have been told to check the patients with viral infection,” he said.

He said that sanitary patrols for the dengue drive were also being used to raise awareness among people regarding the pink eye disease. He said the staff of basic health units and rural health centres were informed about the infection and told to inform the public to adopt safety measures in their respective areas.

He said infected people should avoid going to school and offices, avoid rubbing their eyes, and take proper care of their hygiene to contain the virus.

Professor Dr Inamul Haq Khan, a consultant eye surgeon at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, said that patients suffering from conjunctivitis should avoid rubbing their eyes, as this can worsen their symptoms.

“Those who have conjunctivitis in one eye should avoid touching both eyes with the same cloth to reduce the risk of spreading the condition from one eye to the other. To relieve the discomfort associated with conjunctivitis, advice from an ophthalmologist is necessary, who may recommend applying either a warm or cold cloth or towel to closed eyelids three or four times a day.”

“Patients should avoid eye make-up and the use of contact lenses until the condition has gone away,” he said, adding that the infection spreads faster by rubbing eyes and through this practice, it can very easily spread to other people. “Conjunctivitis is often spread by touching a contaminated surface, and then touching eyes; washing hands frequently can help avoid contracting or spreading it.”

According to the consultant, patients with anxiety “need more caution than treatment”. He said one of the reasons for the spike in the disease is “more than usual rainfall” during the outgoing month. “Redness, tears, and itching in the eyes are symptoms of conjunctivitis. It is an infection and affects children more because they have low immunity,” he informed.

Classes resume on Monday

On the other hand, District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Yaseen Khan told Dawn that the schools would open on Monday as the long weekend and holidays announced by the caretaker provincial government apparently “made the situation better”.

He said that for precautionary measures, the headmasters in all schools in the district had been asked to isolate the children and staff members who were infected. He said doctors informed the education department that the “three to four days break was enough to break the spread cycle of the infection” and the long holidays from Thursday to Sunday were enough to make this work.

Furthermore, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Rawalpindi did not postpone the second annual (supply) examination for grade 9 on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2023