Conjunctivitis outbreak hits twin cities

An outbreak of conjunctivitis has spread through the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Government hospitals, neighbourhood clinics and private hospitals are seeing long queues of patients with eye inflammation, and sales of rosewater and medicines for eye infections at medical stores have surged.

This time the outbreak has affected students in larger numbers.

Absences have risen at educational institutions as many pupils and students suffer from conjunctivitis.

Health department specialists and doctors have described the outbreak as a contagious disease and issued guidance to avoid contact with infected patients and not to rub or repeatedly touch affected eyes.

Areas that experienced flooding during the monsoon in Nullah Leh and 15 other rain-fed streams have been hit particularly hard; cases originating in those zones have now spread to every street and neighbourhood of the twin cities. In one household, after a child contracted conjunctivitis, other children in the same home also fell ill.

The District Health Authority has issued an advisory for residents because of the outbreak.

The advisory instructs people to avoid going outdoors during intense sunlight without a valid reason and, when going out, to wear dark or green sunglasses, cover their heads and carry a small damp handkerchief.

If there is itching of the eye or its surrounding area, people are advised not to rub with their hands or clothing but to splash clean water; clean with tissue and use rosewater.

Do not self-administer any eye drops; use of drops should only be on a doctor's advice. If someone in the household has conjunctivitis, keep them and especially young children separate.