Health Alerts

The Samoan government’s efforts to rein in the measles outbreak continue with more than 65,000 people vaccinated either before or during the current mass vaccination campaign. The outbreak has now caused 33 deaths, mainly children under 4yo, and sickened 2,686 – in the Nov 27 update, the govt. advised 249 more cases in the previous 24 hour period. The seven cases reported last week in Fiji has risen to 13 – mostly from the same area of Viti Levu, Serua/Namosi and Wainadoi. The update from Tonga on Nov 20 put the confirmed and suspected measles case count at 310 – Tongatapu (272 cases), Vava’u (38), ‘Eua (2), Ha’apai (1) and one suspected case in Niuatoputapu. There have been no fatalities recorded to date, a fact attributed to the 99% measles, rubella vaccination rates in the kingdom. More on measles in the region from WHO/UNICEF. Recent measles alerts issued by QLD, NSW & VIC state health departments stem from infected individuals arriving from overseas destinations including Samoa and New Zealand. Read more.