Cars have been banned from roads and the public told to "stay home" as Samoa enforces extreme measures to contain the measles outbreak.
On Tuesday night, Member of the Council of Deputies Le Mamea Lemalu Su’a Tuiletufuga Leatuavao Ropati Mualia issued new proclamations to secure "the public safety of Samoa" as the crisis worsens.
The announcement has ordered the closure of all private and public offices, services, businesses and operations between 6am and 6pm on Thursday and Friday.
"No vehicle is permitted on the road unless it is a vehicle belonging to an exempt service from the public sector or a vehicle being used to seek medical assistance from a medical facility," the official document states.
All inter-island travel between Upolu and Savaii has been prohibited unless travel is for the purpose of medical assistance.
All Samoan residents are to remain at home to await the vaccination units being mobilised for the MMR vaccination plan, the document states.
Public sector services exempt from the closure period include hospitals, morgues, fire and emergency services, police services, search and rescue services and security.
Private sector services include hotels, hospitality services and communication services.
