Hyderabad: In the wake of rising infections, Hyderabad has been grappling with a severe outbreak of conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye.
Over 400 students of a social welfare school in Mancherial district have contracted conjunctivitis. The infection has affected more than half of the school’s students, with over 400 reported cases in the past week.
The first cases of the infection were reported on the night of July 23, as confirmed by Principal R Balabhaskar. “We acted promptly as soon as we noticed the initial two cases. The health supervisor was informed immediately, and we provided medication to the affected students for relief until the next day. However, to our dismay, the infection spread rapidly within that very night, affecting about a hundred students. It seemed that the infection had already spread, and it was only a matter of time until the symptoms appeared,” Principal Balabhaskar revealed during an interview. Deccan Chronicle reported.
What is pink eye disease?
Conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as pink eye, is known to have symptoms like fever and throat discomfort preceding the development of eye-related issues. It is a highly contagious infection that spreads easily through droplets from the eyes and nose during sneezing and coughing.
Dr. Muralidhar Ramappa, a cornea consultant, emphasized that the symptoms usually take around a week to manifest, during which time an infected person could potentially pass on the virus to many others.
Thankfully, recovery from conjunctivitis is relatively quick, typically occurring within two to three days after the onset of treatment. However, caution is advised, as patients may remain contagious and able to pass on the virus to others for up to a week after they have been cured.
Certain groups of people, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with systemic diseases like renal or cancerous complications, are more vulnerable to contracting the infection and should take extra precautions to avoid exposure.
