Provincial health director Dr. Chipayeni Mtonga told the North Western provincial development coordinating committee meeting in Solwezi yesterday that deaths ranged from as young as two weeks old babies to as old as 47 years old.

He said the first measles case in the province was reported in August from a refugee who came from Mayukwayukwa refugee settlement.

Dr. Mtonga said out of the reported cases Mwinilunga has recorded 71 and only two cases in Kasempa so far.

He said the death rate represents a three percent of the total reported cases which he said was not bad and has been maintained so far.

Dr. Mtonga added that the death rate could have been reduced if people in the affected areas were reporting early to health institutions and maintained good nutrition.

He said currently the department was conducting a vaccination campaign with a number of Solwezi areas already covered including the entire Meheba refugee settlement.

He added that the authorities were planning of covering the entire province later to immunize people from the age of six to 15 years.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mtonga disclosed that North Western province has a HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 9.2 percent with a higher prevalence being with men than women.