Samoa measles epidemic: Three children in one family killed

In Samoa the death toll from measles is now fifty three following the deaths of five more children overnight.

In the past hour the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says 54 New Zealand medical personnel are now on the ground in Samoa including 12 vaccinators and eight Samoan speaking doctors and nurses.

And while the Samoan Ministry of Health has gone into overdrive, immunising a third of the country over the last fortnight, the death toll continues to rise with 19 children still in intensive care and almost 200 new reports of infection overnight.

Checkpoint reporters Alex Perrottet and Logan Church visited a family who lost three children to the disease who say whilst it might be too late for them, others should get their children vaccinated.