The national capital and its environs have been subjected to nonstop rain for the last two weeks, which has caused a spike in conjunctivitis cases in Delhi NCR.
Currently, Delhi is seeing 100 instances of conjunctivitis each day, according to Dr. JS Titiyal, Chief of RP Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at AIIMS, showing a significant rise in the illness.
During an interview with the news organization ANI, Dr. Tatiyal stated: “We get at least 100 instances of conjunctivitis every day. Conjunctivitis cases often rise during flu season, which is a seasonal trend. Most instances of conjunctivitis are brought on by viruses.
According to Dr. Harsh Kumar, an ophthalmologist at the Centre for Sight, conjunctivitis instances are recorded every year during the monsoon season. “Red eye returns with monsoon, itching, redness, watering, and sometimes discharge,” he told the news agency ANI.
Delhi Has More Than 1000 Cases Reported
One of the private eye care facilities in Delhi, according to Dr. Samir Sud, Director and Co-Founder of Sharp Sight Eye Hospitals, has documented 1,032 instances of conjunctivitis in Delhi NCR and 1,521 cases across India.
Further stressing that these numbers represent a considerable uptick over the same time period in the previous year (July 2022), when there were 646 instances in Delhi NCR and 1,202 cases countrywide, he further said that these numbers represent a major increase. Dr. Samir Sud emphasized the need of spreading awareness and taking quick action to successfully stop the spread of this eye ailment in light of the spike in cases.
Dr. Titiyal explained the risks and advised following normal hygiene practices, such as regularly washing your hands after going inside from the outdoors.
“General hygienic precautions need to be observed. When returning from outdoors, wash your hands. Try to keep distance from any members of your family who have the eye flu, he said.
“If you have conjunctivitis, use dark goggles, avoid swimming, avoid close contact with others, do not touch your eyes, and children may avoid going to school for few days to avoid spreading to other students,” the doctor advised ANI.
Dr. Harsh also provided some safety tips and advised staying away from crowded areas.
Delhi-NCR Schools Release a Warning
Schools in Delhi NCR have issued a warning to kids, parents, and instructors in response to the sharp increase in conjunctivitis cases. The warning warns against sending sick children to school and suggests that parents seek medical advice from a doctor rather than turning to self-medication.
The advice also stresses how important it is to maintain proper hygiene practices, such as routine handwashing, covering one’s mouth while coughing or sneezing, and refraining from sharing food and beverages.