GMCH Jammu records over 11,500 eye-flu cases

Jammu, Aug 12: More than 11,500 conjunctivitis (eye-flu) cases have been reported in Government Medical College (GMC) and Hospital Jammu from across the region since its outbreak. The number is spiralling with each passing day.

Although the doctors have maintained that breaking the chain can control the contagious eye-flu.

They have also cautioned that carelessness in treatment can damage eyesight.

The Head of Department Ophthalmology, GMC and Hospital, Jammu, Dr Ashok Sharma said, “Over 11, 500 cases of eye-flu have been reported in GMC hospital, Jammu. Number of the patients reporting to GMC hospital Jammu on daily basis is mounting as most of the infected people from various districts of the region and even Jammu city have reached here GMC Jammu hospital) at Bakshi Nagar after their condition has worsened.”

“The number of infected people will be much more than 11500 because maximum people do not report to the hospitals,” he said. “The infected people, mostly in rural areas, go to the chemists and get them treated.”

Dr Sharma said, “We are treating complicated cases.”

“The people with eye-flu symptoms should report to the hospitals or consult the doctors because their cases can become complicated or untreatable if not tackled in time. They need to remember that eye-flu can affect eye-sight and can result in damage to the cornea,” he said.

He said that the people should volunteer themselves for treatment in the hospitals so that they could be provided better care.

“However, there is no admission in the hospital. Our priority is to provide immediate treatment,” Dr Sharma said.

As the situation has worsened, the educational institutions in Jammu have also taken certain precautionary steps by advising students and staff members infected with eye-flu to stay home till they recover from the infection.

On August 10, the total number of cases was 9127 in all 10 districts of Jammu region – Jammu, Doda, Kathua, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Samba, and Udhampur.

Majority of cases were reported from Jammu, Samba and Kathua.