Samoa's deadly measles outbreak claims dozens as vaccine rates plummet
- In 2019, Samoa faced a severe measles outbreak resulting in at least 83 fatalities and over 1,800 hospitalizations.
- Vaccine misinformation and distrust towards Western medicine contributed to plummeting vaccination rates, which fell from 84% to 31%.
- The consequences of this outbreak have had lasting effects on public health and trust in vaccination in Samoa.
In 2019, Samoa experienced a tragic measles outbreak that led to significant loss of life and widespread illness among its population, particularly affecting young children. The outbreak resulted in at least 83 deaths and 1,867 hospitalizations, highlighting the dire consequences of inadequate vaccination coverage. Prior to the outbreak, vaccination rates had fallen dramatically, plummeting from 84% to just 31%, primarily due to misinformation and distrust in Western medicine. A significant contributing factor to this erosion of trust was the visit from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who spread vaccine skepticism during his time in Samoa. Following the outbreak, the Samoan government faced immense challenges in rebuilding the public's confidence in vaccination efforts, a task that proved critical to preventing further tragedies.