Authorities in Uganda’s capital Kampala say the city is experiencing an outbreak of conjunctivitis, a highly contagious eye infection.
According to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), cases of conjunctivitis have also been reported in schools in the city.
Schools are being asked to take the following precautions: For example, check on visitors and ask learners to stop rubbing their eyes or to wash their hands with soap regularly.
Conjunctivitis often causes the eyes to become red or pink.O
ther common symptoms include watery eyes, blurred vision, discomfort, itching, pain, and swelling of the conjunctiva (lining of the eye).
Uganda is the latest African country to record cases of the disease this year.
An outbreak of viral conjunctivitis was reported in Tanzania in mid-January, with more than 5,000 cases recorded in more than 17 regions.
Cases have also been recorded in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Comoros, Madagascar and Mayotte, and Rwanda issued an alert last month.
Infections tend to clear up on their own if you practice good hygiene and avoid contact with infected people.