On the other hand, around 9 more patients were admitted in CSMMU on Wednesday with severe eye infection. All these patients were also operated for cataract at Sarojini Nagar health centre, run by the medical university. These patients were operated in the last 10 to 15 days.

The committee includes Dr SK Sachan, Head of Department of Ophthalmology, Kanpur Medical College and Dr VK Mishra, Director state wing of National Blindness Control programme.

“We have not found any specific reason for infection. There was no obvious medical negligence. The detailed report would only be clear, when we get the reports of the samples collected from the health centre,” said Mishra.

Regarding the patients who were admitted today, one of the doctors of the department said: “These patients have minor symptoms like redness and slight itching, which can be easily cured.” Asked about the loss of vision, the doctor refused to comment.

The Ophthalmology department, meanwhile, has stopped operations of all the other patients for an indefinite period as precautionary measure to prevent the spread of infection, said Vice-Chancellor Saroj Chooramani Gopal.