Since the measles surveillance at the ports of entry started on November 13, up to this past Sunday, December 1st.
Thirty-one travelers arriving from Samoa have been denied entry at the airport while 9 were denied entry at the port.
According to figures presented by the Department of Health at yesterday’s cabinet meeting, the total number of travelers for this period at the airport was 3,324 of which 1,625 were outbound travelers and 1,699 were inbound travelers.
DOH administered 854 Measles, Mumps and Rubella shots at the airport during this period.
At the sea port, 169 arriving passengers were recorded for this period, of which 150 were allowed to enter. 19 were required to be quarantined and 9 were denied entry.
The nine included crew members of a fishing vessel which is under quarantine because the crew didn’t have immunization proof.
For the same period departing passengers at the sea port numbered 159 of which ten were given MMR shots.
Director of Health Motusa Tuileama Nua said they have discovered discrepancies with some of the proof of immunization documents presented by travelers from Samoa.
Some documents have been falsified, they’ve come across fake copies and according to the director signatures on the documents have even been bought.
Motusa told the cabinet that every time they change the policies there are people in Samoa ready with schemes to get people through.
He said local authorities can sense the type of people who would do this.
The Health Director declared that once they can pinpoint the culprits the process will go smoothly.
