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