Bangkok – The Department of Disease Control is warning the public of pinkeye disease which is common during the rainy season, as about 60, 000 patients have suffered from the disease so far this year.
According to Director-General of the Department, Dr. Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, infections, allergies, and chemical reactions can cause pinkeye or conjunctivitis. The disease is not airborne, so cannot be contracted from just looking at the eyes of the infected.
According to data from the Bureau of Epidemiology of the Disease Control Department, 59,751 Thais have suffered pinkeye since the beginning of the year to August 19. The bureau said most of the patients were aged from 45 to 54. It added that there is no specific remedy for pinkeye but the office indicated that eye drops can be used to reduce irritation. Although pinkeye is not a deadly disease, patients are advised to seek medical attention at the early stage of the condition.
Pinkeye can be avoided by making sure that hands are clean before they come into contact with the eyes. One should also refrain from being in close proximity to a person who has the disease or sharing the patients’ belongings. The Bureau of Epidemiology also suggests that people shouldn’t let insects come into contact with their eyes.
People who have contracted pinkeye should take at least three days to recover in isolation, in order to prevent the condition spreading. For more information about the disease and how to prevent it please call the Disease Control Department hotline 1422.
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