There are 32 confirmed and probable cases in US territory.
American Samoa has declared a public health emergency after a measles outbreak spread across US territory.
As of Tuesday, there is one laboratory-confirmed case among 31 patients with an 8-year-old child and suspected and/or probable highly infectious disease. Ministry of Public Health.
inside Press conferenceThe suspected cases are all children between the ages of 2 months and 13, according to the department’s chief epidemiologist, Dr. Scott Anesi.
Those who test positive for measles have been ordered to quarantine for 21 days, and those who are or may have been infected must quarantine for up to 21 days.
The state of emergency, signed by Gov. Remanu PS Mauga, is for 30 days and expires on Wednesday, May 24.
The outbreak has prompted the Ministry of Education of American Samoa, which serves 12,000 students, to close all schools Until May 12th (Fri).
Parents are said to be able to receive their child’s virtual learning packer and qualifying meals at school stallions by Friday.
This is not the first time there has been an outbreak in the region.according to World Health Organization reportthe 2019 outbreak swept the Pacific Ocean.
American Samoa has reported 12 measles cases and no deaths. However, the country of Samoa has reported more than 5,700 cases and his 83 deaths, most of them in children under the age of five.
WHO and UNICEF report that after measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage fell from 74% to 34% between 2017 and 2018, 2 infants died, leading to vaccine hesitation.
Measles is incredibly contagious, and the CDC says all individuals infected with the virus Can spread to up to 10 close contactsif they are not protected, such as not wearing a mask or being vaccinated.
Complications from measles It can be relatively benign, like a rash, or more serious, like viral sepsis, pneumonia, or brain swelling.
CDC To tell People who have had measles at some point in their lives or who have received two doses of the MMR vaccine are protected from measles.
In the decade before the measles vaccine became available, An estimated 3-4 million people are infected each yearAccording to the federal health agency, 48,000 people were hospitalized and between 400 and 500 died.
One dose of measles vaccine is 93% effective in preventing infection if exposed to the virus. Two doses are 97% effective.
children Recommended The first dose is given between 12 and 15 months of age, and the second dose is given between 4 and 6 months.
according to Report from CDC During the 2021-22 school year, announced in January, 88.3% of kindergarten children in Ohio received two doses of the MMR vaccine, below the national average of 93%.
The American Samoa Department of Health says that as of April 22, 89% of preschool, elementary and high school students had received both MMR vaccines.
Department store I shared the post on Facebook Tuesdays in some clinics, halls and churches that offer the MMR vaccine for people over 6 months old.
Anesi said the region’s goal is to reach at least 95% and 100% among all school-aged children.
“The main concern here is that children from age 1 through high school must be fully vaccinated as required by the DOE,” he said.
Eli Cahan of ABC News contributed to this report.
