Measles has claimed the lives of at least eight children in Balochistan’s Killa Abdullah district during the past week.

At least 40 other children are suffering from the disease in the Killi Habibzai and Machka area of the district, said Secretary Health Balochistan Asmatullah Kakar.

Emergency has been declared in the affected villages and anti-measles teams were dispatched to vaccinate the affected children, said the health secretary.

"Over 180 children have been vaccinated by our teams,” added Kakar.

Out of the eight fatalities from measles, five were reported from Killa Abdullah and three from Machka.

The health department has decided to conduct vaccination of children in Machka area from Friday, Kakar said.

In Balochistan, more than 80 per cent of children are deprived of routine immunisation.