Tamil Nadu: Alarming rise in conjunctivitis cases, alert issued

Tamil Nadu: The Tamil Nadu health department has issued a warning regarding the spike in conjunctivitis cases that are being seen throughout the state. Conjunctivitis is a severely contagious eye infection that is also commonly known as ‘Madras Eye’. According to reports about 4000-4500 cases are being reported every day across the state. The state’s health minister, M Subramanian has urged people to stay indoors and take all the necessary precautions if they have been infected.

According to a statement released by the health minister on Monday, nearly 1.5 lakh people in the state have been treated for the infection since the start of the northeast monsoon. He also added that at least 80-100 people are diagnosed with conjunctivitis everyday in the 10 government opthalmic centers in Chennai. He further stated that the number of cases are expected to be even higher in places like Salem and Dharmapuri. He added that the infection is highly contagious and isolation of the ones infected is essential to prevent the further spread. He also stressed on the fact that it is important to see a doctor and avoid self mediation.

According to experts, the prolonged monsoon this year in Tamil Nadu has drastically increased the number of cases.

Nearly 90% of all the cases of conjunctivitis are caused by adenovirus. The affected eye is often red, itchy, irritated, and gritty. It also produces watery discharge that is very similar to tears. It might also spread to the second eye very promptly. The cases are especially common among children.

Dr Srinivasan Rao of Dr Agarwal Eye Hospital in Chennai said that he saw at least 500 patients a year, and that there was almost always a surge in the number of cases during the monsoons.

He also added that this disease is often caused by bacterial or viral infection and can spread very fast between people. It spreads rapidly through the secretion that an infected eye produces. If a person touches their eye, they can effectively transfer the infective bacteria or virus to another person or surface. Anyone or anything that comes in contact with the secretion can become infected.