9 December
The Samoan government confirmed on Monday two more deaths in the island nation's measles epidemic, bringing the death toll to 70 since the outbreak in mid-October.
According to a government statement on Monday, the Samoan Ministry of Health said that of the 70 deaths, 61 were children aged under four, with two fatalities reported in the last 24 hours.
The ministry said that a total of 4,693 measles cases have been recorded to the Disease Surveillance Team so far, with 112 cases reported in the last 24 hours.
Currently, a total of 159 people are hospitalized with measles in the island nation.
Samoa is in a state of emergency, with all schools closed, a mass vaccination campaign underway and public gatherings in the nation restricted.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. Death may occur in up to 5-10 percent of infected young children in developing countries.
Xinhua
