Samoa’s Measles Epidemic - what really caused multiple deaths in 2018 & 2019?

The Samoan measles vaccine story begins on 6 July 2018, when two Samoan nurses were convicted for negligently administering MMR injections to two babies who then died. 15 months later a measles epidemic broke out in which 83 mostly children died. This was blamed on the lack of MMR vaccinations. But what really happened in 2018 and 2019? This 5 part video digs deep into other possible pandemic causes, and at the end scrutinises the cause of the two infant deaths in 2018.

Links in order of appearance:

1. When did Samoa’s MMR (Mumps, Measles & Rubella) vaccination programme restart?
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/46741
https://www.health.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MOH-AR-18-19_ENGLISH-VERSION.pdf
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jpc.14752
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/21973
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=410569263064564

2. What percent of Samoan 12mnth olds were vaccinated before the 2019 measles epidemic?
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jpc.14752
https://www.unicef.org/pacificislands/press-releases/measles-outbreaks-continue-unabated-five-countries-accounted-nearly-half-all-measles
https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/wuenic-trends-2023
https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/country_profiles/Samoa/Immunization-coverage-estimates-2020_wsm.pdf
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30044-X/fulltext
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/immunization-samoa-2023-country-profile
https://www.health.gov.ws/acts-regulations
https://www.health.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MOH-AR-18-19_ENGLISH-VERSION.pdf
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/immunization-samoa-2023-country-profile
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/48601
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/immunization-samoa-2023-country-profile
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/48601
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/vaccine-information-healthcare-professionals/immunisation-coverage/national-and-regional-immunisation-data

3. What was Samoa’s sickness profile in 2018 & 2019?
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/274294
https://sdd.spc.int/news/2020/09/23/2020-pacific-islands-population-poster
https://www.sbs.gov.ws/demographic-health-survey-dhs

4. Could vaccinating a vulnerable population have made the measles epidemic worse?
https://www.researchgate.net/publication357688558_Control_of_a_nosocomial_measles_outbreak_among_previously_vaccinated_adults_in_a_population_with_high_vaccine_coverage_Korea_2019
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/pdfs/mm6826a3-H.pdf
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/51043
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/52450
https://reliefweb.int/report/samoa/ministry-health-press-release-1-measles-epidemic
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/53216
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/53308
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/editorial/89852
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/street_talk/55032
https://www.ncirs.org.au/ncirs-seminarwebinar-series/1822020-measles-local-regional-and-global-perspective
https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/70/6/1060/5485899?login=false
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/53974
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32725232
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7754788

5. Could there be another reason for the 2018 MMR vaccine two baby deaths?
http://www.paclii.org/cgi-bin/sinodisp/ws/cases/WSSC/2019/43.html?stem=&synonyms=&query=Leutogi#disp11
https://web.archive.org/web/20180607120725/http://www.seruminstitute.com/product_viral_measles-mumps-rubella.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_omMR6VeFU
https://web.archive.org/web/20191114142902/https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/news-items/ministry-health-statement-investigation-mmr-vaccine-safety-samoa
https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/wiley/overdose-of-atracurium-0oRVaiFoV4
https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/wiley/atracurium-overdose-in-a-small-infant-JKofIpq2xD#impressionId=6513968f95a69&i_medium=docview&i_campaign=recommendations&i_source=recommendations
https://www.nzfchildren.org.nz/nzf_6985
https://www.verywellfamily.com/first-year-infant-growth-431721
https://www.nzfchildren.org.nz/nzf_6985
https://calculator-converter.com/micrograms-to-milliliters.htm
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/105465619/samoan-parents-lost-their-children-after-mmr-vaccinations
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/samoa-has-seized-all-mmr-vaccines-after-deaths-of-two-toddlers/RR6H4PU3CEKJTX4VH7FVBD6YWU/?c_id=1&objectid=12086295
https://www.1news.co.nz/2018/07/09/two-babies-die-in-samoa-hospital-minutes-after-receiving-mmr-vaccinations-investigation-underway
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/46741
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/117952035/nurses-fatal-vaccination-error-in-samoa-was-against-parents-wishes
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8255173
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFKj3_Wk8m8