Health

Low chance of measles spreading further: Dr. Waqainabete

January 6, 2020 1:03 pm

There are low chances of measles spreading to other parts of the country.

There are low chances of measles spreading to other parts of the country.

Health Minister Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete adds they are hoping to vaccinate about 20, 000 Fijians in the Western and Northern Division.

The Minister is optimistic their efforts are sufficient to control any further spread of measles.

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“We actually decrease even more and more by getting more people vaccinated. So that’s the whole thing of trying that we vaccinate more in the target group”.

With six days remaining before the new school year starts, Head of Health Protection Dr. Aalish Sahukhan is urging parents of Year One students to give consent for their children to be immunized against measles.

“We have measles vaccination at school entry that’s at class1. That is part of our normal routine program for our school children and in the past years we have a very good coverage of that, at least 95 percent who have added school to class 1 have been vaccinated. So we just want to make sure that parents are aware that this is happening, that this is on-going and please do consent to have your child vaccinate as they enter class 1”.

There are 27 confirmed measles cases with the latest reports from Sakoca, Tacirua and Nasole in Nasinu last week.