All government and private schools will remain closed throughout Punjab on Thursday (tomorrow) in wake of the fast-spreading pink-eye infection, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The school holiday was announced on the order of Punjab Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi and all schools up to matric level will remain shut.

From Monday next, the teachers will themselves check the students at the main gate of the schools and infected children will not be allowed to enter the institutions.

Earlier, the Punjab government had issued an alert for schools across the province as it had registered spike in cases of pink-eye infection.

The Schools Education Authority had directed the schools to organize a ‘zero period’ to educate students about the infection and ways to stop the spread of it. It had asked the school teachers to explain the causes of the infection and precautionary measures during the zero period.

The health department had already issued safety guidelines to deal with the disease. It had issued an advisory as cases of pink-eye infection continued to surge in various cities across the province. 

The department said it is a viral disease that spread through coughing, sneezing and touching hands, adding that it took eight to ten days to recover from it. 

Lahore witnessed a surge in number of patients infected with conjunctivitis — an inflammation of the transparent membrane that lines the eyelid and eyeball — after the infection affected several cities of Sindh, including Karachi. 

The infection caused higher tear production, pain in eye, redness and itching. It asked people to use any eye drop after consultation with doctors.  

The Health Department had also issued guidelines to all district authorities. It had advised the use of hand sanitizer besides asking people not to touch their eyes without washing their hands.

Reporter Saud Butt