TAIWAN PREPAREDNESS FOR AVIAN AND PANDEMIC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TAIPEI 004769

SIPDIS

STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W, EAP/RSP/TC AND OES/IHA

HHS PLEASE PASS TO ERIKA ELVANDER AND OES DAN SINGER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED AMGT CASC ECON SENV SOCI TBIO TW ESTH
SUBJECT: TAIWAN PREPAREDNESS FOR AVIAN AND PANDEMIC
INFLUENZA

REF: A) SECSTATE 209622, B) SECSTATE 153483, C) SECSTATE
151549 D) TAIPEI 00058 E) 2004 TAIPEI 0249 F) 2003 TAIPEI
03339 G) 2004 TAIPEI 00479 H) TAIPEI 01881 H) TAIPEI 03598

Summary
--------------

1. Summary. Taiwan remains free of Avian Influenza (AI)
and seems determined to try and keep that status. Drawing
on its experience with SARS in 2003, Taiwan continues to be
very proactive in its efforts to prevent, detect and respond
to an AI outbreak. Wide coverage of AI educational programs
appear daily on all TV channels. President Chen Shui-bian
chaired a second National Security meeting on October 31
(the first one was August 19) in order to emphasize the
President's personal attention on AI issues and the need for
all agencies to work together to combat AI. End summary.

2. Per reftel A, this cable is divided into three parts:
Section A, paras. A-1 to A-15, covers
Preparedness/Communication; Section B, paras. B-1 to B-10,
covers Surveillance/Detection; and Section C, paras. C-1 to
C-14, covers Response/Containment. End Introduction.
SECTION A: PREPAREDNESS/COMMUNICATION
--------------


Preparedness Plan
--------------
A-1. Taiwan has a comprehensive preparedness plan for
monitoring, detecting and combating AI. The Preparedness
Plan includes: a disease alerting and reporting system,
disease surveillance and collaboration at all levels of
government, border controls, a protocol for personal
temperature monitoring, a hospital disease prevention and
control network, epidemiological studies, case investigation
protocols, facilities usage and controls, communication
measures and vaccination plans, the establishment of a new
emergency response center at Taiwan's Center for Disease
Control (TCDC),and a program to stockpile the anti-viral
influenza pharmaceutical Oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Currently
Taiwan has stockpiled enough doses of Tamiflu to treat 0.7
percent of its population. Taiwan has allocated NT$27
billion (USD 844 million) for long-term plans to develop and
manufacture influenza vaccines, but is still several years
away from being able to produce its own vaccines.

AI Upgraded to National Security level
--------------
A-2. With the lessons learned from the 2003 SARS crisis,
Taiwan has been continually drafting, reviewing and revising
its response to a potential influenza pandemic. Taiwan
claims that of the 168 World Health Organization
recommendations for preparing for an HPAI outbreak, Taiwan
has met 122. As the head of the Executive Yuan and
responsible for all interagency coordination, Taiwan's
Premier, Frank Hsieh Chang-ting, is the key go-to person on
AI in Taiwan.

A-3. Following the first meeting on August 19, 2005,
President Chen Shui-bian called a second meeting on October
31 of the National Security Council (NSC) to discuss AI. He
wanted to emphasize to his Cabinet and the public the
priority Taiwan is placing on preparing for a potential HPAI
outbreak. In addition to emphasizing the importance of
learning from mistakes made in countering the SARS epidemic
in 2003, Chen focused on allaying public fears and urged
health authorities to enhance their links with the
international public health network in order to closely
monitor global efforts to prepare for the potential of an
increase in human-to-human transmission. At the meeting,
Taiwan's Department of Health announced that two drills
would take place in December to test the response to a
simulated AI outbreak. Chen also asked the Executive Yuan
to resolve the Tamiflu patent issue quickly and begin
stockpiling Tamiflu. On November 25 Taiwan's Intellectual
Property Office granted a compulsory license to the
Department of Health to manufacture a generic version of
Tamiflu in the event that Roche is unable to supply Tamiflu
to Taiwan in accordance with its contract.

A-4. Taiwan has appropriated a special budget of NTD 27
billion (USD 844 million) for all measures to
prevent/contain a potential epidemic: NTD 21 billion (USD
656.5 million) for prevention programs and supplies, and NTD
6 billion (USD 187.5 million) for the research and
development of vaccines and anti-viral drugs. The Council
of Agriculture (COA) has also committed NTD 1 billion (USD
31.2 million) to buy nets to cover Taiwan's poultry and
swine farms in order to minimize migratory bird and domestic
livestock interaction.

A-5. Taiwan set up an International Health Regulation (IHR)
Interagency Committee on July 15, 2005 with TCDC as the
chair. The committee is reviewing Taiwan's Law of
Infectious Disease Control to make it as consistent with the
IHR as possible and plans to complete the review by the end
of this year. Any required revisions of the regulations
would start early next year and be finished and presented to
the Legislative Yuan by the end of 2006.

Recruitment of New Physicians
--------------
A-6. Following SARS, Taiwan revised TCDC's organizational
structure so that it could attract and employ 27 new
physicians, increasing the number of physicians at TCDC from
3 to 30. These new regulations have allowed doctors to get
higher salaries and to be exempt from taking the civil
service examination. In addition, doctors who choose to
work for TCDC are provided with additional financial
incentives/rewards to entice them to leave careers in
hospitals or clinics. These changes were made directly as a
result of recommendations made to President Chen Shui-bian
by USCDC representatives during SARS.

Taiwan Administers Flu vaccine
--------------
A-7. Healthcare professionals administered over 2 million
doses (almost 9 percent of Taiwan's population) of seasonal
influenza vaccine during the 2004-2005 season. Senior
citizens over 65, children between 6 months and 3 years old,
those with serious diseases, healthcare workers, workers in
avian industries and health case workers were provided
vaccines free of charge.

A-8. Taiwan's flu season does not typically begin until
December so vaccines for the upcoming season have not yet
been administered, but a vaccination plan is in place for
the 2005-2006 season. For the long-term, Taiwan has set
aside USD 187.5 million for the research, development and
production of a flu vaccine. Academia Sinica, the National
Health Research Institute and Industrial Technology Research
Institute are already working in close collaboration to
develop and produce vaccines on an expedited basis. They
hope to be able to produce vaccines in three to five years.

International Collaboration
--------------

A-9. Taiwan places a high priority on international
collaboration to address the threat of an HPAI pandemic. In
particular Taiwan is hoping to work closely with the United
States, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom and
Australia. Taiwan officials would be very receptive to
messages regarding AI from U.S. officials either bilaterally
or in multilateral forum such as APEC or the WHO. Taiwan
seeks international recognition of its role in supporting
efforts to combat AI. In the summer of 2005, Taiwan donated
600,000 courses of treatment of oseltamivir to Vietnam, in
part to help out a neighbor, in part to demonstrate its
willingness and ability to address cross-border issues.
Taiwan also has plans in place to educate and provide
support for Taiwan businessman in China and Vietnam
regarding HPAI prevention.

Donations to APEC
--------------

A-10. Though unable to enter the World Health Organization
(WHO),Taiwan has demonstrated its willingness to join
efforts to combat a possible AI outbreak. The latest
donation was made at the 13th Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation summit. To show its support of building a safe
economic environment in the Asia Pacific region, Taiwan
contributed USD 500,000 to the APEC Supportive Funding on
the regional fight against bird flu through exchanging
information and jointly developing vaccines and drugs, as
well as border storage and supply.

A-11. Regarding Taiwan's relationship and communication with
AIT, Taiwan is extremely open and committed to building on
the very positive working relationship with the US Centers
for Disease Control (USCDC) and AIT established during SARS.
Following initial attempts to cover up SARS cases in early
2003 when the disease first struck Taiwan, after AIT and
USCDC interventions, Taiwan completely changed its approach.
Following the abatement of SARS in summer 2003, eager to
build upon the positive relationship with the USCDC, Taiwan
has consistently contacted the USCDC and AIT immediately
upon learning of infectious disease outbreaks (i.e., Taiwan
immediately informed AIT of a SARS infection at a laboratory
in late 2003, a Tuberculosis outbreak in a hospital in late
2003 and of recent outbreaks of meliodosis and enterovirus
infections in Taiwan). AIT's key contacts on this issue
include: Minister of Health Hou Sheng-mou, Council of
Agriculture Minister Lee Ching-lung, Taiwan Center for
Disease Control Director General Steve Kuo, and Director of
Animal Health Research Institute Sung Hwa-tsung.

Media coverage of AI
--------------

A-12. In addition to multiple announcements on personal
hygiene practices that all citizens need to be aware of,
several doctors and public health experts are speaking on TV
and in seminars. Officials of the Animal and Plant
Inspection Bureau are giving special instructions on how to
deal with pets. On a TV travel channel, statistics on
global human infection cases are released for people who
plan foreign trips. Starting from October 22, 2005, pet
owners are no longer allowed to bring their pets on any
public transportation in Taiwan.

A-13. All civil servants have to complete required courses
on AI prevention. Special classes on AI prevention are also
given to all elementary school students. All households,
including rural areas of Taiwan, receive pamphlets from DOH
on joining efforts with the authorities to prevent AI.
Premier Frank Hsieh has urged the public to be on high alert
and develop good hygiene to reduce the risk of an outbreak
of AI.

A-14. The Taipei City Government also distributed leaflets
to shop and street vendors in Taipei giving them guidelines
to avoid a potential AI outbreak. Street vendors commonly
wear gloves when preparing food dishes, a legacy of the SARS
outbreak. Taiwan's Department of Health maintains a website
that includes a weekly update on AI issues. The site is
available in both Chinese and English. The URL for the
English language version is:
http://www.doh.gov.tw/EN/Webpage/list.aspx?de pt=L&class_no=3
37&level_no=1&show=show&Lmenu=Lmenu3&Rmenu=.

Interagency Collaboration
--------------
A-15. Laboratory surveillance results are being communicated
to relevant agencies and ministries. In addition, TCDC, the
Department of Health, the Bureau of National Health
Insurance, COA and other relevant government agencies have
been working together since the emergence of LPAI in early

2004. For instance, Taiwan's Coast Guard is tasked with
reporting to TCDC any fishermen coming from the affected
area detected with a fever. The Coast Guard intercepted a
shipment of smuggled exotic birds on October 14, quarantined
them and turned them over to COA for testing. A portion of
the birds tested positive for H5N1 and were destroyed.
Similarly, the COA reports to TCDC any smuggled bird from
the HPAI affected areas. The Straits Exchange Foundation
(SEF) is in touch with the PRC regarding border control
measures. SEF also disseminates domestic border control
information and HPAI information/guidance to Taiwan
businessmen in China.

Risk Communication
--------------

A-16. Following SARS, TCDC designed and built a new
emergency response center at its headquarters (modeled after
the USCDC center) to implement its emergency response plans
in the event of an influenza, SARS or other infectious
disease outbreak. In addition, the Government Information
Office (GIO) is working closely with all relevant government
agencies and is responsible for all official public
announcements regarding the disease. Many government
agencies and most private sector companies and individual
citizens do not have contingency plans in place. Taiwan
needs to do a better job communicating the importance of
contingency planning. In an interview on CNN on October
26, TCDC Director Stephen Kuo noted that he is most
concerned about the spread of the virus from the PRC to
Taiwan since there is a lot of cross-strait traffic,
especially during Chinese New Year.

SECTION B: SURVEILLANCE/DETECTION
--------------

Human Surveillance System
--------------
B-1. Taiwan is well prepared to detect and react to new
strains of influenza among people and animals. Taiwan's
Center for Disease Control (TCDC) has drafted a five-year
"Influenza Preparation and Response Plan" (Flu plan).
Taiwan has also established a reporting and alert system to
facilitate and accelerate domestic reporting and laboratory
surveillance. 450 contract "sentinels for novel influenza
sampling" have been set up, which cover 90% of townships in
Taiwan. A new alerting network has also been established.
Once a new flu case is confirmed, TCDC's draft Flu Plan
details who, when and how to report on a probable flu
patient. It specifies how and when each level of government
should respond to a reported case. Furthermore, it
establishes a new alerting network, which will enable the
TCDC to directly communicate instructions with local health
officials using mobile phones as soon as a case is reported.
It also provides protocols for cooperation across
ministries. The plan requires 455 elementary schools
distributed throughout Taiwan to report on all unusual cases
of school absences on a weekly basis.

TCDC's 5-level Influenza Response System
--------------
B-2. On average, during the winter months, Taiwan suffers
from an estimated three million cases of influenza per year.
Thus, TCDC's flu plan includes a comprehensive system to
distinguish among SARS, influenza A/B and influenza H5N1,
giving guidelines to the medical workers to minimize
confusion between the various types of viruses during the
influenza season. Similar to SARS prevention and control
measures, TCDC has implemented a 5-level Influenza Response
System.

a) Level 0/Alert: no human-to-human transmission globally
and no domestic avian-to-human transmission

b) Level A1: confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission
outside of Taiwan.

c) Level A2: confirmed cases of domestic bird-to-human
transmission; a laboratory suspected case in Taiwan; or an
imported suspected case, but no signs of local human-to-
human transmission.

d) Level B: one or more confirmed cases of initial human-to-
human transmission reported domestically.

e) Level C: Secondary human-to-human transmission reported
domestically.

B-3. At the 0 level, COA has the lead for HPAI directives.
At the A1 and A2 levels, DOH will take the lead. At the B
and C levels, the Executive Yuan will take the lead. As
there are no confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission
abroad, Taiwan is currently at the 0 level.
B-4. Currently DOH said that it would not raise the alarm
level further for tourists from China despite the
confirmation of human cases of bird flu in China. Beginning
from October 26, travelers from China are asked to exercise
a 10-day health self-management from the time of their
arrival, including travelers entering Taiwan via Hong Kong,
Macau or Taiwan's outlying island of Kinmen and Matsu.
Border Surveillance
--------------
B-5. Based on the above response levels, Taiwan has a
surveillance program for avian influenza and SARS at its
borders. At the 0/Alert Response level, TCDC urges all
travelers to countries with avian influenza outbreaks to
avoid touching raw poultry in those places. All incoming
travelers are subjected to temperature checks. Passengers
with fevers are further assessed prior to immigration. At
the 0/Alert and A1 levels, Nasopharyngeal washing or Throat
Swabs are taken from any inbound passengers with fevers in
excess of 38 degrees. At the A1 level and above, in
addition to the above measures, passengers from the affected
areas are required to self-monitor for fevers twice a day
for 10 days. At level B and/or above, medical doctors will
be posted at the borders to assist in these processes. Also
at level B, any outbound passenger with a fever over 38
degrees must obtain a doctor's note confirming the person
has been influenza-free for at least 24 hours, before they
can depart. Finally, at level B and above, any passengers
suspected of having avian influenza will be sent by
ambulance to the designated hospitals for further
assessment, where a series of lab tests will be conducted.

B-6. On November 18, the Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau (KHB) set
up a task force in charge of emergency preparedness against
a possible AI outbreak. The KHB has coordinated with the
Center for Disease Control and COA to educate shipping
agents and staff on the proper precautionary measures
against AI infection and has stockpiled supplies such as
masks, disinfectant and protective gowns. The KHB also
requested airline companies and travel agents to notify
travelers to avoid bringing any live flu virus into Taiwan.

Laboratory Facilities
--------------
B-7. Taiwan CDC has contracted with nine P3-level
laboratories located in major medical centers around Taiwan
to conduct all human AI flu tests. The hospitals include:
National Taiwan University Hospital, Veterans General
Hospital and Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital.
Offshore islands in Kinmen and Matsu are to report to labs
in the northern part of Taiwan and the island of Penghu will
report to a lab in Kaohsiung. In addition to the nine
contracted laboratories throughout the island, TCDC has a
plan to set up more laboratories if needed. COA works with
a single accredited laboratory in Tamshui.

Sampling Criterion of Novel Influenza
--------------
B-8. Patients with pneumonia, epidemiological exposure and
patients with criteria clinical influenza symptoms who
deteriorate rapidly without explanation will be sampled.
Criteria clinical symptoms refers to any case that is shown
by throat swab or serum test to show type A flu but not
subtype H1 or H3, or any case that has both X-ray-confirmed
pneumonia and conjunctivitis. Such cases will be
immediately provided oseltamivir (Tamiflu) while further
tests for subtype H5 and H7 are conducted. Epidemiological
exposure is defined as patients with flu symptoms who have
had exposure within 10 days of illness onset to one of the
following three potential exposure routes:

- domestic birds/livestock (or fecal matter) or a novel
influenza suspected case;

- places abroad where human-to-human transmission has
occurred or animals have tested positive within the past
three months;

- an HPAI testing/research laboratory.

Animal Demographics Overview
--------------
B-9. Taiwan has a modern poultry and livestock industry.
Both poultry and swine are produced on medium-to-large scale
farms with regular service by professional veterinarians.
Farms are devoted to a single species and all species are
kept widely separated. The major poultry species are modern
broilers and layers, traditional colored chickens, and ducks
as well as a small population of geese and turkeys. There
are 132,000 poultry farms with a total bird population of
415 million. There are 13,000 swine farms with a total pig
population of about 7 million. Statistics are not available
on the proportion of the population engaged in poultry/swine
production, but if we multiply 145,000, the total number of
poultry and swine farms, by an estimated average work force
of 5 persons, the total work force is 725,000 or about 3
percent of the population. There are 3 major poultry
wholesale markets that the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health
Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ) and DOH have placed under
close surveillance. In addition, live poultry is sold and
slaughtered in traditional markets scattered throughout
Taiwan's cities and towns. Vendors have been educated by
local authorities to be aware of signs of AI and practice
good sanitation in their slaughter. However, the
traditional markets would be a cause for concern if Taiwan
were to have an outbreak of HPAI.

Surveillance for Animal Influenza -
--------------
B-10. Taiwan has an active surveillance program for
commercial poultry, wild fowl, and migratory birds. Of the
approximately 230,000 migratory birds that pass through
Taiwan annually, currently 2,000-3,000 fecal samples are
tested for HPAI and LPAI each year. Furthermore, COA is
compiling a contact database of every chicken, duck and bird
farm and every poultry market. If there is an HPAI
outbreak, this database will help in implementing
preventative measures.

SECTION C: RESPONSE/CONTAINMENT
--------------

Hospital Infection Control Measures
--------------
C-1. TCDC's Flu plan's hospital infection control measures
include: detecting and surveying fever patients promptly;
implementing a standard operating procedure for infection
control in all hospitals; recruiting qualified
epidemiologists to help prevent inter-hospital transmissions
by modeling outbreaks, evaluating nursing procedures to
facilitate reorganizations that might be necessary;
instituting fever surveillance and alert programs;
establishing a mechanism to assess the efficacy and
efficiency of hospital infection control programs; providing
comprehensive and intensive infection control training for
hospital staff, preventing any unsafe or unnecessary
transportation of patients with a communicable disease; and
implementing protocols for waste handling and personal
hygiene. In addition to having 546 negative pressure beds
available for use, the government has recently adopted a
plan to allow for a quick conversion of several sports
stadiums throughout Taiwan into large-scale isolation
facilities as necessary. It also has contingency plans for
closing all large public spaces in the event of an outbreak.


C-2. In addition to the measures above, TCDC requires all
hospitals and clinics to ask flu patients if they have had
any contact with poultry or farm owners. Any patients who
have had such contact are given the antiviral medication of
oseltamivir (trademarked as Tamiflu) for five days. Subject
patients are required to have follow-up checkups.

C-3. Finally, enhanced nosocomial (intra-hospital) infection
control measures have been in place since SARS. TCDC now
has a network for epidemic control, which includes two
national hospitals, six regional hospitals and 18 county
hospitals throughout Taiwan. Hospitals in the network will
be activated in accordance with the needs of a flu
pandemic.

C-4. On October 31, DOH submitted an application to the
Intellectual Property Office for a compulsory license to
allow Tamiflu to be produced in Taiwan. DOH expects that
mass production of Tamiflu will come at the end of March
2006 at the earliest, and in June will reach the stockpile
level recommended by the WHO, enough for one-tenth of the
population of Taiwan, or 2.3 million people.

Stockpile of Antivirals
--------------

C-5. Taiwan was the first in the world to purchase
oseltamivir (Tamiflu) stockpiles. According to the
Department of Health (DOH),Taiwan currently has a stockpile
of about 160,000 packs of 10 tablets of oseltamivir (each
pack of 10 tablets is enough for one full course of
treatment),enough for treating 0.7 percent of Taiwan's
population. DOH is hoping to increase the stockpile to
cover 4 percent of Taiwan's population by the summer of
2006, with the ultimate goal of growing the stockpile to be
able to treat 10 percent of Taiwan's population.

Availability of Respirators and Protective Wear
-------------- --

C-6. TCDC is responsible for supplying N-95 respirators or
equivalent, surgical gloves, goggles and garments for health
care workers. Currently TCDC has 25 million masks (for a
total population of 23 million),4 million protective
garments and a large supply of gloves for healthcare
workers. COA is responsible for the purchase of protection
supplies for poultry industry workers and also has adequate
supplies on hand. TCDC is also committed to work with COA
to ensure that it obtains whatever supplies are needed.

Movement of Avian Livestock
--------------
C-7. To minimize the risk of interaction between migratory
birds and domestic livestock, Taiwan has established a Task
Force on Preventing Animal Infections co-chaired by Minister
Without Portfolio Hu Sheng-cheng (concurrent Chairman of the
Council Economic Planning and Development),COA Chairman Lee
Ching-lung and DOH Minister Hou Sheng-mou.

C-8. Farms on which AI is suspected or detected are isolated
and, if detection is confirmed, the farms are depopulated.
Furthermore, poultry within a 3-kilometer radius of a farm
on which AI is detected are subject to movement control and
intensive surveillance for 6 months. Illegal smuggling of
livestock is also a concern. In an effort to reduce this
potential vector, Taiwan recently raised the level of
criminal punishment for smuggling livestock and poultry so
that it is equivalent to the penalties for smuggling arms or
people.

Poultry Laboratory Testing
--------------
C-9. Animal samples are tested for influenza at four
Regional Poultry Health Centers and then confirmed by the
National Institute of Animal Health in Tamshui, Taipei
County. Taiwan uses PCR testing, DNA sequencing and
pathogenicity index testing to establish the type and
pathogenicity of the influenza. Laboratory capacity is
sufficient and the results are communicated to COA.

Culling Practices
--------------

C-10. Culling takes place when tests establish that avian
influenza is present on a farm. Whether it is Low
Pathogenic (LPAI) or High Pathogenic (HPAI),the farm is
depopulated. To date, Taiwan has only detected LPAI and
that was in early 2004 (except in spring 2004 when six ducks
with H5N1 HPAI were detected in Kinmen island. These ducks
were later determined to be contraband smuggled from
Mainland China). Birds are euthanized via their feed or
water and then incinerated. Farms are disinfected. Cullers
wear masks, boots, gloves and protective clothing and are
trained and supervised by the Livestock Disease Control
Center. In the past, cullers were not given prophylaxis
antivirals, however, the plan is to provide oseltamivir to
cullers in the future. To date, 380,000 birds have been
culled. Culling protocols are available in Chinese. Based
on the 1997 Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, Taiwan has a
great deal of experience in dealing with serious animal
disease outbreaks. Taiwan also has a relatively modern
veterinary and quarantine infrastructure.

Taiwan cleared of deadly flu virus
--------------
C-11. After examining 212 dead birds abandoned by owners on
November 17 at the Metropolitan Park in Taichung City, the
central part of Taiwan, animal health officials ruled out
infections by the deadly bird flu virus. Other tests showed
a strain of avian flu, H7N3, discovered in migratory bird
droppings at Shi Tsao wetland reserve, also on November 17,
in Tainan County (southern part of Taiwan) was a low
pathogenic form of the virus. COA has erected warning signs
in the marsh where the droppings were discovered, advising
residents to stay away. COA assured that no poultry farms
are nearby, and chicken and duck raisers are alerted to
carry out thorough anti-flu measures including quarantine
and disinfection. This was the second time the H7N3 strain
had been detected in Taiwan. The first case was discovered
in the outskirts of Taipei in April 2005.
C-12. Taiwan has had to tackle a weaker strain of the bird
flu virus, LPAI/H5N2. Nonetheless, Taiwan fully recognizes
that the HPAI/H5N1 risk will increase as large numbers of
migratory birds arrive in Taiwan. In addition, officials
are concerned that live birds smuggled from HPAI-infected
countries remain a potential channel for introducing the
disease into Taiwan.
Poultry farmers to be fairly compensated
--------------

C-13. Speaking at the legislative caucus of the opposition
Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) on Taiwan's preparedness for
the possible onslaught of avian flu, Lee Chin-lung, Chairman
of the COA said that they would compensate the losses of
poultry farmers based on market prices. Lee stressed that
extermination of poultry has to be thorough because
surviving poultry could well become loopholes in disease
prevention.

Animal Vaccination
--------------
C-14. At this time, vaccination for AI is not permitted,
although BAPHIQ suspects that individual farmers have been
illegally using vaccines based on the Mexican AI strain.
However, COA is currently revisiting this issue at this time
to consider the adoption of an animal influenza vaccine
plan.

C-15. According to Article 17 of Taiwan's Law of Infectious
Diseases, the DOH, with the approval of the Executive Yuan,
can draw upon the resources, facilities and relevant
agencies to control the spread of infectious diseases. If
necessary, it can call upon the military to impose
quarantine and other measures to contain any spread.

Comment
--------------

3. TCDC's infection control and fever surveillance efforts
are particularly strong due to its significant preparations
for another potential SARS outbreak and the H5N2 Low
Pathogenic outbreak in Taiwan in early 2004. In addition to
the educational programs designed for elementary school
students and civil servants, the general public needs to be
better informed because they continue to have a relaxed
attitude towards AI. Some even consider that Taiwan might
be AI-free because they think Taiwan's sanitation is more
advanced compared with some of its neighbors. End comment.

PAAL