Kampala — THE spread of Hepatitis B viral disease can be avoided through cleanliness, state minister for primary health care Dr. Emmanuel Otaala has said.

Reports indicated yesterday that the highly-infectious disease had killed 67 residents and left over 4,000 others bedridden in Kitgum district.

The minister observed that there was no definite treatment for the disease, which was occurring in the country for the first time.

"Residents should sink latrines and wash their hands after visiting the toilets. They should boil drinking water and purify it using water tablets."

Otaala was yesterday morning speaking the Vision Voice radio's talk- show, The Newsmaker.

The people in the affected area, he added, had been told to stop drinking water from pots and instead use jerrycans.

"Pots have wide openings, which make it easy for someone to contaminate the water. The opening can also hold the virus. We are urging people to destroy water pots."

Meanwhile, Otaala said to improve service delivery, he would soon make impromptu visits to hospitals and health units countrywide.