TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1975
ADVICE ON PREVENTION OF RED EYE+ DISEASE
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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY ADVISED THE PUBLIC TO TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AGAINST THE SPREAD OF +RED EYE+ DISEASE, WHICH IS USUALLY PREVALENT DURING THE SWIMMING SEASON.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THE DISEASE, CLINICALLY KNOWN AS ACUTE KERATO-CONJUNCTIVITIES, COULD BE PREVENTED BY OBSERVING THE SIMPLE RULES OF PERSONAL HYGIENE.
HE SAID THE COMMONEST MEANS OF SPREADING THE DISEASE IS THROUGH CONTACT, E.G. IN PUBLIC PLACES SUCH AS SWIMMING POOLS AND AMONG FAMILIES.
HE ADVISED THAT PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM THE DISEASE SHOULD, THEREFORE, STAY AWAY FROM PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS SO AS NOT TO SPREAD THE DISEASE.
IF A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY HAS CONTRACTED THE DISEASE, THE OTHER MEMBERS SHOULD TAKE CARE NOT TO USE HIS TOWELS ÖR HANDKERCHIEFS AND SHOULD PAY GREATER ATTENTION TO PERSONAL HYGIENE,
STATISTICS FROM THE TWO GOVERNMENT EYE CLINICS SHOWED THAT THE NUMBER OF +RED EYE+ CASES IN THE PAST FOUR WEEKS REMAINED NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR -- AN AVERAGE OF 50 PER WEEK.
THE DISEASE IS OF ACUTE ONSET, CAUSING REDNESS AND SORENESS ON THE EYES, VARYING FROM SLIGHT IRRITATION TO SEVERE PAIN.
TREATMENT CONSISTS OF APPLICATION OF EYE DROPS OR OINTMENT ON THE EYES AS ADVISED BY ATTENDING DOCTORS.
AN EPIDEMIC OF +RED EYE+ DISEASE STRUCK HONG KONG IN 1971 WHEN MORE THAN 5,000 CASES WERE TREATED IN AUGUST ALONE.
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