Vaccines

The team of two vaccinators was unharmed, police said.

Local polio vaccination teams are often targeted by anti-vaccine militants, some of whom claim vaccination is a Western plot to sterilise Muslims.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries where polio, which in severe cases can be fatal or leave patients paralysed, remains endemic.

The two gunmen had been hiding near a small water channel before opening fire on the guards from a "very close range", local police said.

Millions of people suffer from symptoms of long Covid, doctors estimate. Now, early research is offering some clues about whether vaccinations might help.

The deployment of the three vaccines is part of the US$29.7 million System Strengthening for Effective Coverage of New Vaccines in the Pacific Project, which is supporting the introduction of these vaccines in Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the vaccine project was originally established to support the procurement of rotavirus, pneumococcal conjugate, and human papilloma virus vaccines through the United Nations Children's Fund.

The authorities want to make it easier for teams carrying out a door to door mass vaccination campaign on Thursday and Friday to identify households who need vaccinated.

 The country's expected to shut down for those two days while the campaign is carried out.

 The latest measures come as the number of measles-related deaths continue to rise.

 Yesterday the Samoan government said 55 people had died from measles, by far the majority of them children under four.

 Another update is expected from them early this afternoon.

Police said samples from the post mortem for the two infants had also been sent overseas for further medical analysis.

Meanwhile, the Samoa Medical Association has expressed grave concern over the deaths.

The Association's President, Dr Tanyamarie Petaia said, in a statement, the medical association believes that as health care providers in Samoa they have an astronomical task ahead in regaining people's confidence in the safety of the health service.