The 8-year-old girl, who has been confirmed as having measles, presented with a rash at a community center on March 23. A student of Kanana-fou Elementary, she had the two Measles, Mumps and Rubella shots, so she was fully immunized against measles.
Samples were sent to a laboratory in California for testing and the positive confirmation was known Saturday. When asked why DOH didn’t take action then, given the gatherings for Flag Day, Epidemiologist Scott Anesi said while the confirmation was made by the lab on Saturday, DOH wasn’t informed of the result until yesterday morning.
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Symptoms of measles include a fever, rash, cough and conjunctivitis (red eyes). DOH is stressing that immunization is the best protection against measles and having the shots will reduce the severity of the disease.
DOH is targeting those who have not received their first and second shots, as the names of the unvaccinated population is known to the department.
The first vaccine is administered at 1-year; however, the department is now moving to immunize six month old babies, which is within the CDC guidelines for an outbreak.
The measles vaccination coverage before the lowering of the immunization age was 92%, but with 6-months-old included the coverage rate is 89.2%.
DOH is continuing vaccinations at the community centers and will also be out in the villages.
Anesi offers this advice for parents.
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As a result of the confirmed measles case, all daycare centers and Kanana-fou schools are closed effective today.
As to whether the rest of the schools should be closed, Health Director Motusa Tuileama Nua said he will listen to the recommendation of the Medical team then make a recommendation to the Governor.
Director of Human And Social Services said in an announcement last night that due to the confirmed measles case and the move by DOH, all day care centers will be closed to all children effective today. He reminds parents to make sure their child’s immunizations are current, and the child care office has a copy of their most current vaccination card.
During the 2019 measles outbreak, while hundred of children here caught the measles, there were no deaths, a fact that health authorities attributed to American Samoa’s high vaccination coverage. This was in contrast to Samoa where in just three and a half months 83 children, mostly under 5, died. Samoa had suspended their child vaccinations for several years prior.
