Apia, SAMOA — Another child has died from the measles epidemic in Samoa, bringing the death toll to 78.

Samoa's Ministry of Health said a child under the age of five had died in the past day.

There have been another 39 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours (ending Friday Samoa time), taking the total number of those infected to 5,463.

There are currently 114 measles cases in hospital with 15 children in intensive care, according to the ministry.

As of 19 December, 94 percent of the population had been vaccinated.

Parliament passed a bill on Wednesday making measles vaccinations mandatory from next year.