Africa-Press – Mozambique. The health authorities have recorded, between 10 and 24 February, over 1,300 cases of hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula.
According to the national director of Public Health, Quinhas Fernandes, speaking to reporters on Monday, in Maputo, the districts of Nacala Porto, Angoche and Nampula City are the most affected by the conjunctivitis outbreak.
“From 10 to 24 February, 1,326 cases were reported, of which 501 (37.8%) come from Nampula City, 485 (36.6%) from Angoche district and 340 (25.6%) from Nacala Port”, Fernandes said.
The most affected age group are adults over the age of 15, with 788 cases (59.4 percent), followed by the 5-14 year groups, with 370 cases (27.9 per cent.)
According to Fernandes, 685 of the cases (51.7 per cent) are men or boys.
“Fortunately and as is to be expected, there were no deaths or hospitalizations, which reinforces the message that most cases will evolve towards a cure without any sequel”, he said
In the previous 24 hours, Nampula province has registered 81 cases, of which 53 (65.4 percent) came from Nampula City, eight (9.9 percent) from Angoche district and 20 (24.7 per cent) from Nacala Port.
Fernandes took the opportunity to explain that haemorrhagic conjunctivitis is a highly contagious disease characterized by subconjunctival haemorrhage, sudden swelling of the eyelids, congestion, redness and pain in the eye.
“In general, it is caused by a virus, and in this outbreak, at least one virus from the Adenovirus family has already been isolated. It is transmitted through contact with contaminated people and the use of contaminated water for washing eyes”, he explained.
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