Measles crisis

In a national address, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the public service and all government services will be closed from Thursday 5th-6th December in order to allow all public servants to assist with the mass vaccination campaign throughout the country except for the utilities (Water and Electricity).

The death toll has increased to 53.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed a total of 3,728 measles cases have been reported to the from Disease Surveillance Team, since the outbreak started.

There were 198 recorded in the last 24 hours.

There are currently 183 measles cases who are in-patients at all health facilities.

Among the in-patients are 19 critically ill children in ICU/HDU, two pregnant women and 1 postnatal.

The total number of measles cases admitted to all hospitals recorded for the outbreak to date is 1,129.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Health confirmed a total of 3,530 measles cases were reported to the Disease Surveillance Team, since the outbreak started.

There were 173 recorded in the last 24 hours.

The vast majority of deaths are children under the age of four-years.

There are currently 191 measles cases who are in-patients at all health facilities.

A total of 32,743 vaccinations were completed before the Mass Vaccination Campaign.

A state of emergency was declared this week in a bid to contain the spread of measles, which has claimed 20 lives to date - 19 of them children under the age of five.

Samoa's government has ordered compulsory vaccinations, and a mass immunisation campaign is underway, but authorities fear the situation is going to get worse before it gets better.

The crisis has seen some parents turning to questionable alternative therapies in a bid to save their children from the disease.