13 Dec 2019

Pacific vulnerable to measles despite Samoa vaccination drive

From , 5:03 am on 13 December 2019

The death toll from Samoa's measles epidemic has risen to 72 people.

Most of the dead are preschoolers and babies since the country's outbreak was declared in mid-October.

Samoa's government says the official number of people with measles is just under 5000 with 75 new cases reported in the past 24 hours.

Jenny Meyer reports.

More than 120 vaccination teams went out on Thursday across Samoa. We were told at the end of the day about 5500 vaccinations were given out on the first day of the government shutdown.

Photo: RNZ / Logan Church