Tens of thousands of schools across Pakistan are being shut in response to an outbreak of pink eye.
Over 56,000 private and public schools across the province of Punjab are being closed between September 28 and October 1 to stem the tide of the viral conjunctivitis outbreak, the Punjab government said on Wednesday.
The province has recorded around 357,000 conjunctivitis cases since the start of the year, according to AFP.
"The closure has been announced as a proactive measure to give maximum protection to students against the infection," Punjab education department spokesman Zulfiqar Ali told AFP. "We hope this will break the cycle of the infection in the province."
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the mucous membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids. Conjunctivitis can be caused by irritation or an infection, and the pathogen can be viral or bacterial.
The outbreak in Pakistan is due to a virus. Viral conjunctivitis can be caused by a range of viruses, including adenoviruses, and it is very contagious, often leading to mass outbreaks in schools and other crowded places, according to the CDC.
"Viral conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by adenoviruses which are also linked to respiratory infections," Barbara Pierscionek, a professor of optics and eye biomechanics and the deputy dean of Research and Innovation at Anglia Ruskin University in the U.K., told Newsweek.
Symptoms include the eponymous pink eyes, swelling of the eyelids and increased tear production, itching eyes and eyelids, as well as pus production and crusting of the lids and lashes. Viral conjunctivitis may also come with flu-like symptoms, and a thinner, more watery discharge from the eye.
The viruses that cause conjunctivitis can spread in a number of ways, including by touching or shaking hands, coughing or sneezing, or touching objects with the virus on them. Viral conjunctivitis is usually mild, clearing up on its own after seven to 14 days. If the case is more severe, antivirals may be prescribed; antibiotics will have no effect.
"These infections spread through contact and this can be expected in schools where children study and play together," Pierscionek said. "Treatment will depend on the causal factors: viral conditions are self-limiting and may not need treatment other than keeping the eye clean and washing with water; bacterial infections may need topical antibiotics."
Lahore is the worst-affected region within Punjab, local newspaper Dawn reported. The school closures should reduce the spread of the infection, as schools would usually have opened over the weekend.
Pupils will be screened as they re-enter schools on October 2.
Interim Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that these measures will hopefully lead to a 50 percent reduction in cases, Dawn reported.
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Update 10/2/23, 4:31 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Barbara Pierscionek.
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