Agra Health Dept Issues Advisory to Schools After Rise in Eye Flu Cases
Health officials announced on Tuesday that the local health department has identified a surge in cases of viral conjunctivitis, commonly known as eye flu, prompting them to issue an advisory to schools. The advisory instructs schools to inform students and parents about the disease to promote awareness.
School children seem to be particularly affected, as several cases of eye flu have been reported among them. In response, the health department has set up medical camps in Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Pinahat, and Jagner. Additional camps might be established in other locations as well.
According to Dr. Pravindra Verma, an eye surgeon at the district hospital, the outpatient department (OPD) experiences a daily influx of over 100 patients with viral conjunctivitis complaints. The rainy season and humidity are believed to be contributing factors to the rise in cases. At the district hospital's OPD, about 70-80% of patients are seeking treatment for viral conjunctivitis, out of the total 200-250 patients visiting the hospital daily.
Typical symptoms of eye flu include itching, red eyes, eyelid swelling, and white discharge from the infected eye. Dr. Verma explained that it is a viral infection that typically lasts for about a week.
Dr. Singhdha Sen, Head of the Ophthalmology department at SN Medical College and Hospital, stated that their OPD receives approximately 50-60 patients daily with complaints of eye flu. To prevent the disease from spreading within families, she advised separating and regularly washing towels, bed sheets, and other clothing of infected individuals.
In light of the eye flu cases, the health department urges people to visit government health centers if they exhibit symptoms of the disease. They also discourage self-medication or home remedies. Dr. Surendra Mohan Prajapati, the nodal officer of the district communicable diseases program in Agra, emphasized that schools must educate children about viral conjunctivitis and instruct parents not to send infected children to school. Online classes may be implemented by schools if the number of cases continues to rise.
Dr. Prajapati noted that eye flu cases are particularly increasing among school children in rural areas. As a result, camps have been arranged in Fatehpur Sikri, Pinahat, Jagner, and Agra to address the growing number of cases in those regions.