Arunachal: Itanagar Administration order closure of schools following outbreak of conjunctivitis, 173 students affected

The district authorities in Itanagar Capital and Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh have issued an order to shut both government and private schools under their respective jurisdiction for the next five days following the conjunctivitis outbreak, a highly contagious eye infection.

Itanagar Deputy Commissioner Talo Potom that it is necessary to break the chain of transmission in order to contain the further spread of infections amongst the students' community and amongst the residents of Capital Itanagar.

He also said, after a survey conducted by the District Surveillance Unit, Itanagar Capital Complex, it has been observed that conjunctivitis is highly contagious and spreads rapidly amongst groups, irrespective of age.

“Therefore, as a preventive measure, all the Government and private schools (from nursery to class VIII under the jurisdiction of Capital, Itanagar is hereby suspended for a period of 5 days with effect from July 25 to 29, 2023,” the DC said in the order.

In Longding district too, the district administration has taken swift action to combat the outbreak of acute allergic conjunctivitis, by ordering the temporary closure of schools in the Kanubari sub-division.

Deputy Commissioner Bani Lego said, “Considering the seriousness of the matter, all the heads of schools under Kanubari and Lawnu education blocks are hereby directed to close down their respective schools temporarily till July 29, in order to break the chain of spread of the disease.”

As per sources, there have also been reports of a suspected conjunctivitis outbreak in several schools within the West Siang district, prompting the district health authorities to issue a public health advisory, outlining preventive measures to curb further spread of the infection in the community.

To prevent the further spread of viral conjunctivitis, the Health Department in Itanagar Capital Complex also recommended to citizens preventive measures like, frequent hand washing, avoiding touching your eyes, personal hygiene, disinfecting surfaces, and isolating the infected individuals.

“If you experience symptoms of viral conjunctivitis, such as redness, itching, or eye discharge, seek medical attention promptly. While viral conjunctivitis is typically self-limiting and resolves on its own, a healthcare professional can provide proper diagnosis and advice on symptom management,” it added.

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