Norway is sending a medical team to Samoa to assist in the fight against the measles outbreak that has so far claimed over 50 lives, most of them children.
So far, 3,728 cases of measles have been registered since the outbreak began in mid-October, Samoa health authorities said on Monday. 53 people have died, 48 of them are children under four.
The authorities of the Pacific nation have declared a state of emergency, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has asked other countries for assistance in combating the outbreak. Norway is setting up a health team.
– This is a serious situation. The health systems in Samoa do not have the capacity to handle an outbreak of this magnitude, and there is limited capacity in the region. It is especially young children who become seriously ill. I am pleased that Norway has the opportunity to respond positively to the WHO’s request for assistance with humanitarian aid, said Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide (H).
Other medical aid contributing countries include France, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Japan.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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