The city is grappling with a sudden surge in conjunctivitis cases, with a staggering 450 new cases being reported on Tuesday. The total count has reached 3,000 cases so far, as per the data compiled by the Health Department.

The health authorities and medical experts are closely monitoring the situation as the outbreak poses a public health concern. Dr SS Pandav, Head of the Department of the Advanced Eye Centre, PGI, revealed that they had been witnessing an alarming rise in conjunctivitis cases, with over 50 new cases being diagnosed daily at the facility. In response to the surge, a separate flu counter has been set up at the centre specifically for such cases to prevent the spread of infection among patients visiting the institute for other eye-related issues.