The measles death toll in Samoa has increased to 76 since Samoa’s measles epidemic began.
The Samoan Government says 126 people with measles are in hospitals, including 17 children in intensive care.
Forty new measles cases have been reported in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 5,371.
Latest update: 5,331 measles cases have been reported since the outbreak with 64 recorded in the last 24 hours.
— Government of Samoa (@samoagovt) December 17, 2019
To date, 75 measles related deaths have been recorded.
VACCINATION UPDATE: As of 16 Dec, 93% of population have been vaccinated.
The Government says 94 percent of the population has been vaccinated to date.
The state of emergency in Samoa has been extended to the 29th of this month.
Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says this was done so that the vaccines can be administered to the remaining population who are yet to be immunized.
Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi[Photo:Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat]
[Source:RNZ]
