By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
Measles in Fiji
To date the measles outbreak is confined to the Serua/Namosi Subdivision, and specifically the Wailali Settement in Wainadoi. A Measles Taskforce has been convened by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to coordinate the response to the outbreak and assist the respective divisional and subdivisional teams.
Since the last update on 7th November there has been zero new cases – one of the suspected cases from the 7th November update was subsequently confirmed to have measles after lab testing.
There are three confirmed cases and one suspected case reported from Wailali Settlement in Wainadoi. The three confirmed cases are a four-month-old baby and two adults between the ages of twenty and twenty-five. The four month old baby continues to be admitted in a stable condition, in isolation, at Navua hospital, and the Serua/Namosi Subdivisional Outbreak Response Team are conducting daily monitoring of the two adults, who are recovering well in home quarantine. The six-year-old suspected case has since recovered.
Measles in Samoa
Samoa’s government has said it suspects that seven deaths have been caused by the measles virus, since the outbreak was declared in October.
As of Monday, 628 suspected measles cases had been recorded with 48 confirmed so far.
Measles in Tonga
The number of confirmed or suspected measles cases in Tonga has climbed to 177 with most cases experiencing a mild illness, according to the latest measles outbreak situation report released on 6 November.
Out of the 177 cases, 63 were found to have been vaccinated with 43 having a two-dose history with MR vaccine and 20 having a one dose history. The remaining cases are still waiting for vaccination histories.
Those affected are mainly teenagers from schools on Tongatapu as well as Vava’u and all are linked to the initially imported cases.
Measles in American Samoa?
Health authorities in American Samoa say two children visiting from neighbouring Samoa are suspected of having measles and are in hospital care.
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