NEW DELHI: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will study the outbreak of conjunctivitis which has grappled the city and its neighbouring towns. Dr JS Tiliyal, Chief of RP Centre, AIIMS, said that a study is underway to assess what has led to the outbreak of the viral infection. The study findings are expected to come out in the next 2-3 days.
“We have started collecting the samples. The purpose of the study is to examine the causes of this outbreak. Whether a new strain of adenovirus, which causes the eye infection, is into the play or any superannuated is accelerating its spread at this rate, we will have to assess these possibilities in the research study,” he said.
Given the rate of patients coming in the OPDs with complaints of eye infection, experts have suggested that the city may see an epidemic of eye-related illnesses. Also known as pink eye, conjunctivitis is considered a highly contagious eye infection.
The hospitals estimate up to a 20 per cent rise in the patients coming to the OPDs. The experts said that the footfall may be a conservative figure since conjunctivitis is a self-limiting disease so many may not seek medical help in the cases. However, the patients coming to the OPDs are showing severe symptoms. Doctors at both government and private hospitals said that they have been receiving cases largely from the younger population in the city
“Generally, the eye flu goes away in one or two weeks but due to bacterial infection, which gets added up to conjunctivitis, the patients coming to our hospitals are showing severe symptoms like yellow discharge, redness, swollen pupils etc,” Tiliyal said.
Dr Saurabh Varshney, Sr. Consultant Ophthalmology, Primus Super Speciality Hospital, said that humid and damp conditions provide an ideal breeding ground for the viruses responsible for infections to spread rapidly. “Health authorities should advise the public to maintain personal hygiene, avoid touching the eyes, and seek medical attention if symptoms arise,” he added. Meanwhile, the situation has already sent a wave of panic among private schools which have been issuing advisories to the parents to avoid sending their wards for classes if children show symptoms of flu.
