GUWAHATI, Sept 27 � Cases of conjunctivitis have shot up in and around Guwahati, and this time its duration has increased among those affected. Eye specialists have asked people to observe caution, stating certain precautions can help stop the infection from spreading any further.
A senior practitioner noted that all of a sudden spurt has been observed in the number of eye infection cases. It�s a viral attack, and there is a fear that the incidence may rise. He has been treating five to six patients per day at his clinic.
However, he refrained from pointing to specific sources from which the infection could have originated. People who have come from outside the State were among those affected by the virus.
One of the trends noticed on this occasion has been the longer time taken for drugs to contain the ailment. According to Dr CK Baruah of the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (RIO), there have been cases of people staying affected for a week or more.
Dr Baruah, acknowledging the spread of the infection described it as an epidemic and said that young children were among those who have suffered from conjunctivitis. Today he was able to treat eight patients at the RIO.
He emphasized that treatment should commence as soon as one gets affected, and isolation at home is recommended. That would reduce the chance of the spread of the infection. For those who have not been infected he stressed the importance of not touching the eyes and regular hand washing.
�We have treated patients with antibiotics, to which they have responded�but it�s crucial that no steroids are given as it would only aggravate the condition,� the senior specialist maintained.
To prevent the spread of the virus, he further underlined the need to keep away from objects used by those already infected. Handkerchiefs, towels and other items should not be shared in a household having an infected person.