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By Associated press
The World Health Organization said that a measles outbreak in Madagascar had caused more than 900 deaths.
According to WHO figures, there have been more than 68,000 cases of the disease, in which 553 deaths have been confirmed and 373 suspected measles since the beginning of the epidemic in September.
Most at risk are infants 9 to 11 months old.
The epidemic is blamed on a low rate of measles immunization in the island nation for several years, said WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic. The vaccination rate is estimated at less than 60%, according to figures from the WHO and UNICEF, he said.
Madagascar has launched a national campaign to try to control the epidemic through mass vaccination and surveillance campaigns.
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