Measles in Samoa: how a small island nation found itself in the grips of an outbreak disaster

 

Samoa's measles crisis continues. As of December 12, there have been 4,995 confirmed cases of measles and 72 deaths. With increasing vaccination coverage the situation is slowly improving.

The following article by Katherine Gibney may help to provide some clarification as to how this disaster occurred.

The Conversation: Measles in Samoa: how a small island nation found itself in the grips of an outbreak disaster 

 

For further information about measles, please refer to our MVEC page:  Measles


New immunisation reference page: Western Health immunisation service

The Western Health Immunisation Service at Joan Kirner Women and Children's Hospital was opened in July 2017. The clinic is a walk in clinic for families with children up to the age of 20. Pregnant women and their partners can also access the available services.

Please see our Western Health Immunisation Service reference page for more information. 


Presentations now available from November CVU

Thank you to all those who attended our recent Clinical Vaccinology Update held at Monash University in Caulfield. It was another successful event and we look forward to sharing the details of next years event with you soon. 

Our speakers have kindly shared their presentations and they are now available to download through our Events page. 


New NCIRS report - Vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

NCIRS (The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance) have released two new reports focused on immunisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Communicable Diseases Intelligence (CDI) has published Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Vaccination Coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People which is accompanied by a summary report, Vaccination for our Mob.

View both reports here.  

NCIRS are hosting an upcoming webinar – Working together to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander immunisation; on Tuesday 10 December at 1pm. Katrina Clark (NCIRS National Indigenous Immunisation Coordinator) and Patrick Cashman (Hunter New England Health Immunisation Coordinator) will be hosting. Find out more and register to attend the webinar here.