COVID-19 Can Be Transmitted Through Infected Person's Tears: Study

COVID transmission is possible through the tears of a person infected with the virus, a new study at the Government Medical College in Amritsar, Punjab claims. SARS-COV-2 was found in the conjunctival secretions of positive patients to reach said conclusion.

In a sample size of 120 individuals, the presence of COVID-19 virus in the tears of positive patients with and without "ocular manifestation" was observed. Ocular manifestations denote a condition in the eye caused as a result of disease in another part of the body. This could even lead to an alteration in vision or other serious damages.

As per reports, the Amritsar study found that half of the individuals had ocular manifestations while the other half did not. Out of those with the manifestations, at least 63 percent had a severe issue. Conjunctival hyperemia was detected in 41 patients, follicular reaction in 38 and chemosis in 35. Others showed signs of mucoid discharge and itching.

COVID Transmission Studies Show Updated Info As Third Wave Fears Loom

The researchers behind the study concluded after RTPCR tests of the samples obtained that tears of the 17.5 percent persons positive for COVID-19 confirmed transmission was possible via conjunctival secretions. They have further urged medical professionals and healthcare workers on duty to exercise caution owing to the data of the study.

Similar studies have been emerging during the past year from across the world, with researchers exploring the field of virus transmission. One research published last year (available in the US PubMed Central archives) as early as June not long after the pandemic began had speculated that "SARS-CoV-2 may be detected in the tears and conjunctival secretions" of coronavirus patients with conjunctivitis.

As India takes a momentary breath from the devastation of the second wave of COVID-19 that took cases in the country across the two-crore mark, medical authorities have warned of an impending, inevitable third wave. Recent research by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), details of which were published by Bloomberg, suggests the third wave is likely to hit this month and could peak in October.

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