Family remember Peter Toloumu von Heiderbrandt - one of the first victims of the 2019 Samoa measles epidemic.

Five children have died overnight in Samoa as the measles epidemic continues to kill children at an alarming rate.

A total of 53 people have died. Of these, 50 were children under the age of 15 while 23 were babies aged less than one year old. Only one death has been an adult over the age of 18.

In the last 24 hours a further 198 cases have also been confirmed by the Ministry of Health.

Those admitted to hospital with the disease included 19 critically ill children and two pregnant women and one post natal.

CHRIS MCKEEN/STUFF A fixed immunisation point in Apia.

The numbers continue to climb as national and international medics race against the clock to immunise the most vulnerable in the small Pacific Island nation.

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Mobile immunisation vans are in every village as the race against the disease amps up.In a statement the Samoan Ministry of Health confirmed 3728 measles cases have been reported to the Disease Surveillance Team since the outbreak started.

There are currently 183 measles cases who are in-patients at all health facilities.

A total of 32,743 vaccinations were completed before the Mass Vaccination Campaign.Since November 20, when the vaccination strategy was implemented the Ministry has vaccinated 58,150 people, of that 43,529 were vaccinated in Upolu and 14,621 in Savaii.