GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN SAMOA AMID ‘CRUEL’ MEASLES OUTBREAK

WELLINGTON: Samoa ordered a government shutdown to help combat a devastating measles outbreak on Monday, as five more children succumbed to the virus, lifting the death toll in the tiny Pacific nation to 53. The government said almost 200 new measles cases had been recorded since Sunday, with the rate of infection showing no sign of slowing despite a compulsory mass vaccination program. The scheme has so far focused on children but Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said it was time to immunize everyone in the 200,000 population aged under 60. To achieve the goal, he said government services and departments would close on Thursday and Friday this week in order to allow all public servants to assist with the mass vaccination campaign throughout the country. He said only electricity and water utility workers would be exempt and called on the nation to stand together to contain the outbreak.