Hoang Cuong, a doctor at the hospital's Examination Department, said that conjunctivitis usually broke out in the city and its neighbouring provinces at this time of year, before peaking in September when the rainy season arrived in the north.

At present, children have proven particular susceptible to the eye allergy, sometimes due to misdiagnoses, confusing their eye complaints as symptoms associated with fevers and sore throat, which prolong the treatment time, Cuong said.

Patient Ngo Van Thi, 27, from Cau Giay District said that despite his left eye becoming red, and then his right, but he had no idea how he had become infected.

Hot weather and dirty air created favourable conditions for the development of the infection, with many patients claimed they had contracted the problem after swimming in pools or the sea.

Another doctor, Pham Thu Minh said that conjunctivitis could easily spread to other people before and after the patients had visible symptoms including reddened, irritated and watering eyes.

Thu noted that people were vulnerable to contracting the infection even through talking with patients.

(Source:VNS)