Samoa recalls MMR vaccine after two deaths

Samoa's health officials have issued an immediate recall of a vaccination for rubella, measles and mumps, after two babies died just hours after being vaccinated.

The Director General of Health Leausa Dr Take Naseri says different nurses administered the vaccine to the infants at a hospital in Safotu on Savaii.

He says the infants were the first to get the MMR vaccine and testing is now underway to see if it was responsible for the deaths, "so now immediate action to recall all [of them] - we've ceased and sent out a directive to stop and cease all vaccinations of the children with the MMR."

The families of the two children have asked the police to investigate the deaths.