IMPHAL, Aug 26: In view of the reports of the spread of viral
conjunctivitis in Manipur, the Education department issued an
advisory for schools and hostels today.
The advisory said, if one or two students are infected with the
conjunctivitis in a school, the infected student may be given
leave for 10 days.
If three or more students are infected in a class in a school,
then the whole class may be dosed for 10 days.
In a school, if three or more students are infected in three or
more different classes, the school may be closed for 10 days.
In case of hostels, if any inmate of the hostel is infected, the
inmate may be sent home for 10 days. If more than three
inmates are infected in a hostel, the hostel may be dosed for 10
days.
Proper hand washing practices should be encouraged among
the students and teachers alike, the advisory said.
The advisory issued as per the suggestion from the directorate
of state health services further stated that proper safety
measures should be taken to control the spread of the viral
conjunctivitis among the school going population at the school
level which will go a long way in controlling the epidemic at the
state level.
All Zonal Education officers were also instructed to circulate the
advisory to all schools under their respective jurisdiction
immediately.
The advisory came in the backdrop of reports of outbreak of
contagious eye flu in Ukhrul district of Manipur. According to
the district health service authority, altogether 89 cases have
been reported in the district so far.
Out of the 89 people infected, around 50 were from Jessami, a
village bordering Nagaland.
Most of the patients were school-going children, which has
prompted the district health authority to direct its actions
towards school students to contain the spread of the viral eye
disease. (NNN)
