The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a warning for the city due to a significant increase in conjunctivitis cases across Maharashtra. However, the health department has not observed a notable surge in such cases thus far.

According to Dr Daksha Shah, the Head of the Health Department, “We have been seeing cases, but they occur every time there is a weather change.”

Meanwhile, Dr Sunil Morawekar, an Ophthalmologist at SL Raheja hospital in Mahim, revealed that he sees four to five patients daily presenting conjunctivitis symptoms. Viral conjunctivitis is one of the common types, with symptoms primarily including itchy and red eyes, swollen eyelids, and white discharge from the infected eyes.

“It can cause significant inflammation and create the urge to itch. If the infected person doesn’t sanitise their hands after touching their eyes, it can spread to others,” warned Dr Morawekar.

At the ward level, medical health officers told mid-day that they have encountered a few cases from the dispensaries under their purview. “The cases are scattered, and we have not noticed a trend so far. However, it is only this monsoon that I have witnessed even a few cases of conjunctivitis,” stated L ward’s medical officer, Ravindra Hange.

Dr Morawekar further clarified a common misconception, saying, “One common misconception is that it spreads when the infected person looks at another person. That is not how it works. It is mostly spread through touch or cough.”

Dr Virendra Mohite, the medical health officer of the G-South ward, informed mid-day that there are three to four cases reported daily in his ward. Maharashtra has reported close to 40,000 cases of conjunctivitis so far, with Pune being the worst-affected district, recording more than 7,000 cases in the last 15 days.

Conjunctivitis is preventable by maintaining hand hygiene. In case of infection, the patient’s clothes, towels, and sheets should be kept separate to prevent the disease from spreading to other family members.

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