BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – School authorities in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental were compelled to switch to modular learning after 1,547 elementary and high school students contracted conjunctivitis or sore eyes.
Division Medical Officer Dr. Evangelene Froilan said data as of May 25 further showed 10 personnel from the Department of Education (DepEd) schools division in San Carlos were also infected.
The local DepEd schools division issued a memorandum temporarily suspending face-to-face classes to prevent sore eye infections from further spreading among students and school staff.
They also ordered the complete disinfection of all schools in the city. An assessment must also be made before allowing the resumption of face-to-face classes.
Meanwhile, the San Carlos City Health Office (CHO) conducted information dissemination among local residents.
Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious and commonly caused by adenoviruses.
According to the United States Center for Disease Control, most viruses that cause conjunctivitis spread through hand-to-eye contact with hands or objects that are contaminated with the infectious virus.
In the Philippines, sore eyes frequently appear during the dry season./PN
