APIA, Samoa – The measles epidemic continues to spread in Samoa where it has claimed 70 lives, 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.
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The government said that the vaccination teams deployed across this archipelago of the South Pacific have succeeded in immunizing 90% of its 200,000 inhabitants.
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The vaccination rate was 30% of the population before the start of the epidemic in mid-October.
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But the vaccine is only effective after 10 to 14 days, which means it is still too early to tell if the peak of the epidemic has been reached.
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Of the 4,693 cases identified, 229 people remain hospitalized, including 16 children in critical condition.
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Among the 70 people who died are 61 children four years or younger.
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The health authorities accused the anti-vaccine movements of being at the origin of this resurgence of measles.
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