Pacific / Samoa

Two more deaths from measles in Samoa, toll now 65

14:02 pm on 7 December 2019

There are now 65 measles related deaths in Samoa following two more fatalities over the past 24 hours.

Mobile vaccination teams went out across Samoa on Thursday and Friday. Photo: RNZ / Logan Church

The government says there is also now at least 4460 measles cases since the outbreak began in October.

There were 103 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours.

165 people remain hospitalised including 18 critically ill children and three pregnant women.

The new figures come after a two-day nationwide shutdown to enable vaccination teams to reach households where people still needed to be immunised.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the teams carried out more than 20,000 vaccinations on Thursday and Friday.