CONFIRMED MEASLES CASES NOW 23: MINISTRY
LATEST CASES ARE A 13-MONTH-OLD AND A 20-YEAR-OLD FROM SAUMAKIA VILLAGE IN NAITASIRI
There are now 23 confirmed cases of measles in Fiji.
The latest confirmed cases are a 13-month-old and a 20-yearold from Saumakia Village in Naitasiri.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services confirmed that none of the cases are admitted in hospital. All cases have recovered or are recovering well at home. There are now four confirmed cases from Saumakia Village. This includes the 27-yearold and the nine-month-old from Davuilevu, who had stayed at Saumakia Village. The nine-month-old was admitted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital and had since been discharged.
The Naitasiri outbreak response team had carried out the necessary interventions including isolation of cases, quarantine and vaccination of contacts and at-risk communities as appropriate, and follow up of cases and contacts.
The 23 cases to date are from the following areas in the Central Division:
12 cases from the Serua/Namosi Subdivision (Wailali, Wainadoi, Navunikabi, and Makosoi, Deuba); Four cases from Suva Subdivision (Samabula, Vatuwaqa, Tacirua, Wailekutu);
Three cases from Rewa Subdivision (Koronivia, Nasilai Village Nakelo, Davuilevu); and
Four cases from Naitasiri Subdivision (Saumakia Village). Meanwhile, Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete, is currently in the Lau Group with his team to vaccinate as many Fijians as they can. The ministry is working across all divisions and outer islands to carry out its measles immunisation campaign.
Dr Waqainabete will visit Makutu, Totoya and Moala islands. Earlier this week, the minister held a meeting with the national taskforce on measles to discuss the vaccination campaign and to assist the staff on the ground on reaching the targeted population.
According to the ministry’s social media page, issues under consideration includes gathering data on the vaccinations, the provision of resources and reaching the population who have not been vaccinated so far.
The ministry’s Head of Protection, Dr Aalisha Sahu Khan, is adamant that the health team would get the targeted population vaccinated by Christmas.
“The Health Ministry continuously monitors the health services around the country and attends to needs of the staff, while improvements to health facilities is another area that is looked at,” Dr Sahu Khan said.
For more information on where you get immunised, look for the Ministry of Health measles advisory on today’s edition of the Fiji
Sun.
Meanwhile, in Samoa, the Samoan government released the following update:
5371 measles cases have been reported since the outbreak with 40 recorded in the last 24 hours. 76 measles related deaths have been recorded. VACCINATION UPDATE: As of December 17, 94 per cent of the population have been vaccinated.