October 24, (THEWILL) – The Sokoto State Government has confirmed the outbreak of Acute Haemorrhagic Conjunctivitis, commonly known as Apollo, in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Asabe Balarabe, in a statement released on Thursday, said the ministry has recorded a significant number of cases in recent weeks, which necessitated its urgent response for the containment and management of the disease.
She noted that the outbreak primarily affects individuals in crowded areas particularly schools and markets.
The Commissioner then advised people that were infected with the apollo to seek medical attention for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
She also advised them to stay away from work, schools and other public gatherings to prevent spreading the infection.
Balarabe further counselled them to use disposable tissues and discard them properly after each use.
She noted that health facilities in the state were already on alert and equipped to handle cases of the disease.
The Commissioner advised healthcare providers to follow standard infection prevention and control practice to protect themselves and their patients.
She called on community leaders and healthcare workers to report new cases promptly, to assist in curtailing the spread of the infection.
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
