Samoan government orders a two-day shutdown in unprecedented battle against measles

The Samoa government has ordered a two-day lockdown from December 5 to carry out an unprecedented mass vaccination drive to rein in the measles epidemic which has killed over 62 people, mostly small children, in the Pacific island nation. All businesses and non-essential government services have been ordered to shut down, inter-island ferry services had been cancelled and people had been asked to keep their cars off the roads.
Residents were advised to stay inside their homes and display a red flag if they were not immunised.

READ: Samoa Declares State Of Emergency As Measles Spreads Across Pacific: Reports

Special vaccination team rushed to work

Special vaccination teams have been rushed to work across the nation in the early hours of Thursday morning. According to the reports, no one is allowed to drive unless and until they have special permission from the authorities. The government said 165 cases had been reported in the last 24 hours on Thursday and the death toll increased to 62. Most of them were babies and young children aged four and under. Earlier, the government of Samoa has declared a state of emergency ordering all schools including the National University of Samoa to be closed as a deadly measles outbreak continues to spread. The officials have also announced not to conduct any public gathering after reports of several deaths linked to measles and the infection spreading rapidly across the Pacific Islands. The island state declared a measles epidemic late in October after seven suspected measles-related deaths were recorded.

READ: Samoa Measles Outbreak: With Mostly Children As Victims, Death Toll Reaches A Massive 60

Government urges children not to gather any public gatherings

According to the Health Ministry, at least six infants, under the age of two, had been killed in the outbreak. The majority of cases have involved children younger than four years old. In a bid to stop the virus from spreading, the Samoan government requested children under the age of 17 years not to attend any public gathering. The government also made vaccinations a mandatory legal requirement for the citizens of Samoa. According to the health ministry, about two-thirds of the population has been immunised. 

READ: Samoa Measles Outbreak: Death Toll Reaches 53, 198 New Cases Recorded

READ: 50 Children Killed By Measles In Samoa As Outbreak Worsens