Health Warns Repeat of 2019 Measles Crisis due to low Vaccination

By Lagi Keresoma

Apia, Samoa – 13 October 2023: The dreaded 2019 measles tragedy that claimed 83 lives from over 5000 cases could repeat itself given the current low vaccination coverage of mainly children.

The Deputy Director General of Health, Tagaloa Dr. Robert Thompsen confirmed that there is a substantial number of children who have not had their first Measles, Rubella & Mumps (MRM) injection at the age of 9 months.

From the measles campaign this year, an overwhelming number of unvaccinated children at the ages of 4 and 5 were recorded.

Tagaloa said since the measles epidemic in 2019, parents bothered less or thought lightly of having their children’s injections.

“If this care less and negligent attitude continues, there is a chance we will experience the 2019 crisis all over again,” he said.

The Deputy Director General of Health, Tagaloa Dr. Robert Thompsen.

Measles continue to circulate in the Pacific
Tagaloa confirmed that there is no current measles case in Samoa, but that does not mean Samoa is out of the danger zone as the measles virus continues to circulate within the Pacific region.

New Zealand recently recorded two cases and given the history of how the first measles case arrived in Samoa in 2019, MOH is not taking any chances.

“There is a huge concern over it especially with the speed the measles virus spreads and how quickly it can affect unvaccinated children, we are monitoring the situation,” said Tagaloa.

He said there is a chance that children born after 2019 could easily be affected if they have not had their MRM injections.

World Health Measles Update
The World Health Organisation (WHO) 2023 measles update states that 29 cases have been recorded from 16 jurisdictions in the United States of America alone as of 29 September 2023.

The high number of cases prompted the American Samoa Government to issue an alert.

Globally, 17 countries have recorded cases and as of 3 October 2023, and an Epidemic and Emerging Disease Alert was issued for the Pacific.

The alert targets various diseases such as the Zika virus and Malaria in the Solomon Islands, Typhoid Fever in Fiji & New Zealand, Influenza like illness in Tuvalu and FSM, Dengue Fever in Palau and Measles in New Zealand and Victoria, Australia.

The New Zealand and Australia measles cases are said to have originated from travellers from abroad and with the upcoming Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands next month, the concerns for a safe region are very high.