Samoa extends measles State of Emergency

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

The Samoan government announced Saturday that the State of Emergency due to the large measles outbreak has been extended until Sunday, December 29, 2019.

The original State of Emergency was declared on November 15.

As part of the emergency declaration extension by Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, the following amendments to the original declaration exist:

The previous Order to disallow any public gathering to include those under the age of 19, is amended as follows: That all public gatherings cannot henceforth include the presence of children up to the age of 14.

All Children up to the age of 14 years, must show proof of immunization in order to board any inter-island ferry in Samoa.

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Year 13 Examinations and the National University of Samoa’s Examinations shall resume as per notices of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture and the National University of Samoa, from 16th December 2019.

As of Dec. 14, 5,210 measles cases have been reported since the outbreak began with 56 recorded in the last 24 hours for Upolu and no new cases for Savaii. To date, 72 measles related deaths have been recorded.