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By Mohammed Arezki Himeur
BBC, Algiers
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Free medical treatment is available
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Health authorities in Algeria are struggling to cope with an outbreak of conjunctivitis, a viral infection that causes severe itching under the eyelid.
Reports say up to 40,000 people have been infected over the past week.
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We are drowning with the number of patients that are seeking treatment
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Hospitals and health centres in the capital Algiers are being overwhelmed, as the highly infections conjunctivitis continues to spread.
"We are drowning with the number of patients that are seeking treatment. They come from all the districts of Algiers and the surrounding localities," said a doctor from the Mustapha Pasha hospital.
He said the hospital was receiving up to 800 patients a day - sometimes whole families are infected.
Earthquake related
Most of the victims come from the Boumerdes area which was struck by a massive earthquake in May.
Many patients come from Boumerdes which was struck by an earthquake
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Doctors said the spread of the eye infection was being exacerbated by the poor hygienic conditions that still prevail in the areas struck by the earthquake.
The number of cases recorded since the outbreak of the infection was first reported on 20 August, has reached nearly 40,000.
But the authorities say the number could be higher, because a large number of those infected are also seeking treatment in private health facilities.
To curb the spread of the infection, health authorities have announced that all those infected will be given free medication in public hospitals.
However some medical facilities are already reporting they are running out of medical supplies due to the high demand.
They are also urging the public to exercise high level of hygiene.
Kamel Kellou from the Ministry of Health said people should avoid shaking hands, while those already infected should be quarantined.
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