Samoa measles crisis: Death toll climbs to 70

The death toll from the Samoa measles crisis has continued to climb with 70 confirmed deaths.

On Monday morning, the Samoan government said the number of measles-related fatalities rose by another two in the past 24 hours. The vast majority of the deaths so far are those under four years old.

Since the outbreak began on the Pacific island, the Samoan Ministry of Health says 4693 cases have been reported - 112 in the past 24 hours.

So far, 1477 people have been admitted to hospital, and 159 remain as an in-patient in a health facility. These include 16 critically ill children and two pregnant women.

The government says as of Sunday, approximately 90 percent of all eligible people in Samoa have been vaccinated against measles.

Last week the country was shut down under strict emergency laws for a door-to-door vaccination campaign.

However Newshub witnessed young people refusing injections as the emergency teams went to homes across the country.

Samoa's Prime Minister, who was only vaccinated on Wednesday, also spoke of witnessing young people refusing to be immunised.

"It is disappointing and I am very angry. Very angry in the sense that we have done all that is possible," Prime Minister Susuga Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said.