An outbreak of viral conjunctivitis in the Rhondda Fach Valley in south Wales had affected 48 confirmed and 21 suspected patients earlier week, with no idea of the cause.
Sarah Jones in the health protection team of the National Public Health Service (NPHS) for Wales said: 'It's not something that we have had in this area before.' She added that the NPHS was unaware of any other outbreaks in the UK.
Virology tests to identify the viral strain of the conjunctivitis had yet to be completed by the NPHS. Jones warned that it might prove impossible to identify the source of the virus.
Although the bacterial version lasts a couple of days and could be alleviated with eye drops, viral conjunctivitis lasts typically three weeks. Antibiotics have no effect and the incubation period is 4-10 days.