TAIWAN AVIAN FLU UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004295 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/RSP/TC, G, OES/IHA STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED SENV CASC ECON TW WHO SUBJECT: TAIWAN AVIAN FLU UPDATE REF: A. SECSTATE 151549 ¶B. TAIPEI 3598 ¶C. TAIPEI 3742 ¶D. TAIPEI 3713 ¶E. TAIPEI 4067 ¶F. TAIPEI 4264 ¶G. TAIPEI 04128 ¶H. TAIPEI 4160 ¶1. (U) Summary: This is a periodic update to our baseline report on Taiwan's efforts to combat avian flu (ref D). In recent days, Taiwan authorities discovered H5N1 avian flu virus in a shipment of birds smuggled from China. The stock market declined on avian flu concerns. Authorities conducted a nationwide drill and a new avian flu emergency response team has been established. Authorities are planning to produce Tamiflu in case of need and are proposing to manufacture and distribute avian flu vaccine through APEC. Taiwan is subsidizing the cost of netting for poultry and swine farms. End Summary Avian Flu Reaches Taiwan Border -------------- ¶2. Taiwan authorities announced that on OCT 20 a smuggled shipment of 1,037 wild birds from the PRC tested positive for H5N1 avian flu virus (H5N1). In a correction to reftel (see ref F),only eight out of forty six birds that were tested had H5N1. Authorities stressed that this detection does not mean that avian flu is present in Taiwan because the birds were intercepted while on the ship. The birds were then quarantined and destroyed. This was a second occurrence, with the first happening in December 2003 when another smuggled shipment of birds from the PRC also tested positive for H5N1. However, as noted in reftel (see ref F),smuggling between the PRC and Taiwan is commonplace which means that there is a chance the disease is already present in Taiwan. ¶3. Concerns that avian flu will eventually reach Taiwan caused the stock price index to drop 136.63 points to 5,694.16. In the first 19 days of October, Taiwan,s stock index has declined 6.9 percent. Industries related to medical care, however, benefited from the news reports about avian flu. Pharmaceutical, biotech and medical care stocks posted gains. Drills -------------- ¶4. On Oct. 19, a nationwide drill simulated a possible avian flu epidemic in Taiwan. The drill involved almost 100 participants from the Council of Agriculture, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior, Department of Health, Environmental Protection Administration and local governments. The goals of the drill were to: test communication among different levels of government in an epidemic; improve public reporting of the disease; implement measures to protect workers that come into contact with the virus and the handling of infected birds. Premier Frank Hsieh attended the drill and announced that Taiwan was prepared to meet any possible AI outbreak. Emergency Response -------------- ¶5. In addition to the extensive infection control measures that have been put in place since SARS (see ref D),Taipei city established an emergency response team ready to be activated if a human case of H5N1 occurs. The team is comprised of 108 nurses and doctors who will assemble at Hoping Hospital in the event a human case of avian flu appears. In addition, starting Oct. 22, Taiwan authorities are recommending that all primary and secondary schools in Taiwan begin taking daily temperature measurements of students and staff. Unlike during SARS, Taiwan is not requiring temperature measurements before entering public buildings. ¶6. Since both cases of H5N1 in Taiwan have occurred in smuggled shipments from the PRC, the Taiwan Coast Guard has set up a hotline to report any cases of animal smuggling. Premier Frank Hsieh announced on Oct. 19 that there is a NT$20 million ( US$595,000 ) fund set aside to give monetary rewards to anyone who provides information on smuggling that leads to an arrest. In addition, Taiwan's Center for Disease Control has a hotline to report any possible cases of avian flu. ¶7. Taiwan health officials indicated that the most effective way to combat the disease is to increase public awareness. The Department of Health has printed a large number of AI pamphlets and has begun circulating them around the island. In addition, airline passengers to Taiwan are being asked to self screen for possible avian flu symptoms (see ref G). Protecting Poultry and Swine Farms -------------- ¶8. Efforts to use netting to protect poultry and swine farms from migratory fowl that carry H5N1 has had limited success. Taiwan committed NT$1 billion (US$31.2 million) to subsidize 50% of the cost of each net, with farmers paying for the rest. By the end of 2005, the Council of Agriculture (COA) estimates that 240 poultry farms will be covered with nets, a fraction of the over two thousand poultry farms in Taiwan. COA plans to begin subsidizing netting at swine farms next year. Producing Tamiflu -------------- ¶9. Per ref H, Taiwan officials announced that they are prepared to produce a generic version of Tamiflu if human to human transmission of avian flu occurs in Taiwan. Taiwan will reportedly grant compulsory licensing rights to the National Health Research Institute (NHRI),a government laboratory, to mass produce the drug in the case of an avian flu outbreak. NHRI indicated that it would take approximately 3-5 months to produce a supply for one million people. NHRI plans to manufacture semi-finished medication ready to be turned into Tamiflu in the event the patent holder grants permission or if there is an outbreak of avian flu. DOH Minister Hou sent a letter to Franz B. Humer, CEO of the Swiss Roche Pharmaceutical Company requesting authorization to mass produce the antiviral drug. Providing Avian Flu Vaccine through APEC -------------- ¶10. On Oct. 18, Vice Foreign Minister Michael Kao said Taiwan is preparing a proposal for next month's APEC summit in Busan, South Korea to distribute avian flu vaccine through APEC to other countries. Kao said that Taiwan has the expertise to produce such a vaccine, once it is developed, but is still working on a proposal due to the high research costs involved. AIT is preparing a more detailed report in septel. KEEGAN