The Head of Health Protection at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Aalisha Sahukhan says the 9-month-old baby from Davuilevu who is the latest confirmed case of measles is admitted in the CWM hospital in stable condition.

Sahukhan confirms that the number of confirmed measles cases remains 19 in Fiji.

She says the Measles Vaccination Campaign has begun in the Western and Eastern Divisions from today and thousands of people have been lining up at various hospitals, health centers and nursing stations to get their vaccinated.

Sahukhan says the vaccination campaign in the North will begin next Monday.

The Ministry of Health teams are also going in settlements to immunise people in the target groups. 

Vaccination booths will be open from 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday and Sunday in all locations in the West.

Sahukhan says over 200,000 people have been vaccinated against measles since the outbreak was declared.

The national campaign will continue to target people who are most at risk of being infected by measles and spreading the disease.

Sahukhan adds that pregnant women, babies under the age of 6 months, those with a compromised immune system and those with a known allergy to the vaccine should not be vaccinated.

She says people aged 40 and over will not be vaccinated as they are likely to have had measles as a child and therefore have life-long immunity.

The campaign will continue in the Central Division and the Ministry is aiming to vaccinate all the target groups by Christmas.