APIA, Samoa – The measles epidemic continues to spread in Samoa, where 70 people have been killed, mostly young children, according to published figures.
En 24 hours, 112 new cases were declared despite an unprecedented vaccination campaign carried out last week for two days in an attempt to curb the epidemic of this highly contagious disease.
–
–
The government has claimed that the vaccination teams deployed across the South Pacific archipelago have successfully immunized 90% of its 200,000 residents.
–
–
The vaccination rate was 30% of the population before the start of the epidemic in mid-October.
–
–
But the vaccine is only effective after 10 to 14 days, which means that it is still too early to say whether the peak of the epidemic has been reached.
–
–
Of the 4693 cases identified, 229 people remain hospitalized, including 16 children in critical condition.
–
–
Among the 70 people who died were 61 children four years of age or younger.
–
–
Health authorities have accused anti-vaccine movements of being behind this resurgence of measles.
–
–
–
