Hyderabad: According to researchers in China, the novel coronavirus known to cause respiratory problems can also lead to 'pink eye' or conjunctivitis. But the most interesting aspect that emerged out of the studies is that virus was present in both nasal and eye fluids, meaning pink eye could be a rare manifestation of the deadly disease.
This is significant as across the globe only nasal fluids were suspected to be the mode of transmission from COVID-19 patients to rest of the community. Now, it is being ascertained that the virus can spread if someone rubs an infected eye and then touches someone else.
According to Dr Liang of the Ophthalmology department at China Three Gorges University, several COVID-19 patients having pneumonia had also developed pink eye.
The frontline medical staff treating COVID-19 patients would want to wear protective glasses along with Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) and N95 masks.
The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 10,98,762 and killed over 59,172 people across the world. More than 2,28,923 people have recovered so far, mostly in China.
Read: Global COVID-19 tracker
Harsh lockdowns aimed at halting the march of the coronavirus has extended worldwide as the deaths near 60,000 and new waves of US outbreaks pushed the nation's containment efforts to the brink. Despite slivers of hope in stricken Italy and Spain, the tough measures that have confined some two-fifths of the globe's population to their homes were broadened.
The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
More than 3,000 health care workers contracted COVID-19 and the government says 14 died of the disease. Among them was doctor Li Wenliang, who was threatened with punishment by police after publicising news of the outbreak but has since been listed among the national “martyrs.”
