Delhi Schools Report Rising Cases Of Eye Infections

Schools in Delhi have reported rising cases of eye infections lasting for three to four days on average, with some sending at least 10 to 12 children showing symptoms back home every day to check the spread of the contagion.

Cases of conjunctivitis and other eye infections are on the rise in Delhi, with many doctors cautioning that they are "highly contagious" and proper hygiene behaviour needs to be maintained to check their spread.

St Mary's school principal Annie Koshi said that children who are suffering from eye infections are mostly from class 4 to class 7 and that, they are recovering within three to four days.

"Students are recovering and coming back for classes in three to four days," Ms Koshi told PTI.

"However, we have been sending at least 10 to 12 students back home each day due to this. There are no cases of typhoid or any other diseases in St Mary's school yet," she added.

Students suffering from eye infections have been asked by schools not to come to classes until they have completely recovered. They are also being sensitised by their respective principals and teachers, the president of Delhi State Public School Management Association, RC Jain said.

Principal of ITL Public School Sudha Acharya said cases are more prominent amongst the children in the primary section.

"Students with eye infection have been missing school for 2-3 days but for typhoid and stomach infection, students are taking medical leave of at least a week. We are taking all possible precautionary measures," Ms Acharya said.

Neeru Vijh of Government Girls Senior Secondary School in Vasundhara Enclave said that more than 10 per cent of the students have been suffering from eye infections in their school.

"We are sensitising our students. Teachers are talking about this before beginning their lecture. Even though there are no cases of typhoid in our school, we get our water tanks cleaned from time to time," Ms Vijh told PTI.

Experts underline the need to carry hand sanitisers, while noting that there has been a 50 per cent surge in conjunctivitis cases in OPDs.

Sharing numbers, Dr Soveeta Rath, Paediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus, and Neuro-Ophthalmology, Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, in Delhi, said they have observed a notable surge of 50 per cent in conjunctivitis cases in their OPDs.

"Particularly affecting children and teenagers, these cases typically present with symptoms like redness, watery eyes, discharge, and a foreign body sensation in the eyes.

"It is necessary to maintain hygiene, especially for kids who are going to school. Each kid should have a separate towel and napkin. They should avoid touching contaminated surfaces or their eyes, as the conjunctivitis virus can spread through contact," she said.

It is important that kids sanitise their hands after touching any surface and keep hand sanitisers with them, she added.

Delhi government-run hospitals are "on alert", especially related to cases of conjunctivitis, fungal infections and vector-borne diseases, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Tuesday.

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