Apollo Outbreak Spreads Across Ghana: Health Service Issues Warning

The general public is encouraged to continue practicing frequent handwashing to combat the rising cases of Acute Haemorrhagic Conjunctivitis, commonly known as Apollo.
More than half of the reported eye cases at the Police Hospital’s eye clinic are associated with Apollo, and health authorities are warning of its rapid spread across all 16 regions.

Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, emphasized the importance of people avoiding touching their eyes and advocated for the promotion of regular handwashing.

Maintaining proper hand hygiene is essential in preventing the transmission of contagious diseases like Apollo.

“This is about prevention, how do we ensure that people avoid touching their eyes, and we need to also promote handwashing,” the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service advised.

Acute Hemorrhagic Conjunctivitis, also known as Apollo, is a severe variant of viral pink eye that can lead to symptoms such as eyelid swelling, eye discharge, and bleeding. While there is no cure for this condition, treatments are available to help manage the symptoms until the virus clears.

Conjunctivitis, often referred to as “pink eye,” is characterized by inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the thin membrane covering the eyeball and inner eyelid. This inflammation typically results from an infection, allergen exposure, or exposure to toxins. Some specific viruses can trigger a particular type of conjunctivitis known as Acute Hemorrhagic Conjunctivitis (AHC).