20 Nov 2019

Fiji measles: Number of cases rises to nine

8:18 pm on 20 November 2019
Parents in Fiji have been urged to vaccinate their children against measles.

Parents in Fiji have been urged to vaccinate their children against measles. Photo: Fiji govt/Facebook

The number of measles cases in Fiji has risen to nine, as restrictions are placed on the limited supplies of the vaccine.

The latest case is a 15-year-old from Wainadoi and a two-year-old child has been placed in isolation at Suva's main hospital.

The health ministry says the cases stemmed from the first discovery in the Serua/Namosi subdivision near the capital.

Meanwhile, the ministry says an interim shortage means vaccines are being prioritised for those in affected areas, children aged between 6 months and three years, and people travelling overseas.

It's also urging employers to not penalise staff who are ordered into quarantine as authorities try to contain the spread.

In Samoa, where the outbreak is currently at its worst, the death toll stands at 17, with more than a thousand confirmed cases.