The government, in partnership with the World Health Organisation, the UN children's agency and the Gavi vaccine alliance, began working to vaccinate children aged 6 months to 5 years old in 18 high-risk districts on Sunday and will expand nationwide in phases from next month, a joint statement said

Health ministry figures revealed that suspected measles cases among children aged six months to five years have surged to 6,476. Confirmed cases stand at 826, with 16 laboratory-confirmed deaths, though officials say many more may have died before testing could be done