Newmai News Network
Imphal | August 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.
