On 15 November, the Government of Samoa declared a state of emergency in response to the growing measles outbreak. Its youngest citizens are most at risk, along with pregnant women and new mothers. The country has since been in a race against the disease to vaccinate its population and treat those who have already been affected.
As of 10 December, 4,819 measles cases have been reported to the Disease Surveillance Team since the outbreak started, according to the Ministry of Health in Samoa. In a country with a population of about 200,000, these numbers have been overwhelming for the health system. To date, 70 people have died as a result of the outbreak.
