Health Alerts

In response to the extraordinary measles outbreak affecting Samoa, all state-owned/Public Service enterprises (excepting some essential services) and private businesses will close on Dec 5 and 6 to allow for more people to access the ongoing mass vaccination campaign. Door-to-door vaccination is to be provided to everyone aged from six months to 60yo (non-pregnant women only). Some inter-island and all road travel is restricted, as outlined in a local news article. The Samoan government’s facebook page today announced a further 171 measles infections and five deaths reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 4,052 cases and 60 deaths. Fiji’s measles cases have increased to 15, from the subdivisions of Serua/Namosi (11 cases), Suva (2) and Rewa (2). The latest case is a 38yo man from Nasilai Village, according to a Dec 3 Ministry of Health and Medical Services press release. A vaccination campaign has reached almost 100,000 Fijians, with the next phase prioritising Central Division from today (Dec 4). In Auckland, by Dec 3 the measles count had risen to 1,708 (and 2,144 for all New Zealand). Last week the WHO published a global update on measles confirming there had been more than 440,000 cases this year from 187 member states (to Nov 5).  Read more.