According to a quick report from hospitals in the city, the number of visits for conjunctivitis from January 1, 2023 to present is 71,740. It is noteworthy that the number of cases in recent days has tended to increase compared to the first months of the year. Of the cases, about 1/3 are school-age children, the rest are adults.
According to a report from the Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital, it is worrying that cases of conjunctivitis (a severe clinical form of pink eye) have been discovered recently, although they are not yet common.
In Ho Chi Minh City, 2013 was the year with the highest number of cases of pink eye recorded in the past 10 years. Since then, the number of cases of pink eye has been recorded every year but only in sporadic cases.
Pink eye can be caused by many different reasons. If symptoms such as mild fever, fatigue, sore throat, sticky eyelids, difficulty opening eyes, swollen lymph nodes in front of the ear or under the jaw appear, the common cause is conjunctivitis caused by Adenovirus, which is easily spread through direct contact.
Measures to prevent pink eye (Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health)
In the above cases, the sick person should stay home (take 5-7 days off from work/school) and limit contact to avoid spreading the disease to others. When detecting signs of pink eye, it is necessary to immediately go to the nearest medical facility for diagnosis, guidance and appropriate care. The decision to take time off from work/school should be based on the doctor's decision.
In addition, according to the recommendations of eye experts and HCDC, the simplest but most effective measure to prevent the spread of viral conjunctivitis is to regularly wash your hands with soap and clean water; Do not rub your eyes, nose, or mouth; Do not share personal items such as eye drops, towels, eyeglasses, masks, etc.
Eyes, nose, and throat should be cleaned daily with saline solution, regular eye drops, and nasal drops; Use soap or regular antiseptics to disinfect the patient's belongings and utensils; Limit contact with people who have or are suspected of having pink eye.
Patients and people suspected of having pink eye should limit contact with others; People with signs of pink eye should go to a medical facility for examination, consultation and timely treatment. Do not self-treat without instructions from medical staff to avoid serious complications.
In the face of the increasing number of cases of pink eye in the city in recent days, in addition to recommendations for preventing pink eye, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has coordinated with the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) to conduct research to find and accurately identify the cause of pink eye.
The Department of Health has also sent a document to the Department of Education and Training to proactively increase detection and instruct students and parents on how to detect and prevent pink eye.
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