THE number of patients suffering from a highly infectious eye disease has multiplied in the past week, with some Shenzhen hospitals running out of medicine.Doctors at the Beijing University Shenzhen Hospital told Xinhuanet.com that the number of “pinkeye” infection patients had almost doubled each day in the past week.Xinhuanet.com quoted Dr. Fu saying more than 100 patients were treated by the hospital each day for conjunctivitis, an infection commonly known as “pinkeye” because it causes eyes to turn pink or red.The hospital was waiting on new medical supplies after patient numbers had almost depleted stocks, the report said.The No.2 People’s Hospital also reported a shortage of medicine and soaring patient numbers.Nanshan Hospital told reporters it had been out of “pinkeye” medicine for more than one day. About 200-300 patients have been seeking treatment at the hospital each day.Ophthalmology departments of hospitals in Guangzhou are also congested with people suffering from the infection.The infection has been spreading in Haikou and other cities in Hainan Province for about a month. <2001>(SD News)