Fijians who have conjunctivitis or cika are to avoid public places especially work and school for a few days.

The Health Ministry says conjunctivitis is usually a mild and self-limiting infection but is contagious.

Head of Health Protection, Dr Aalisha Sahukhan says many conjunctivitis cases can resolve on its own without medical attention but it’s important to be aware of the symptoms of the severe form of the disease.

Dr Sahukhan says these symptoms include moderate to severe pain in the eye(s), have issues with looking into bright lights, discharge of pus and increase in redness of the eye.

“The way it spreads is that someone with conjunctivitis touches their eyes and then the virus goes onto their hands and they may touch someone else. And that person will touch their face or their eyes and then the virus or the bacteria will go into their eyes. So we’re advising everybody to just make sure your washing your hands frequently with soap and water.

The advice comes as the Health Ministry recently recorded an increase in the infection from certain parts of the country.

Suva’s Colonial War Memorial Hospital’s eye clinic recorded 15 cases of viral conjunctivitis last week.