AUSTRIAN VIEWS ON THE AVIAN INFLUENZA THREAT

UNCLAS VIENNA 003060

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: TBIO ECON PREL SOCI AU KSTH WHO
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN VIEWS ON THE AVIAN INFLUENZA THREAT

REF: STATE 153802


1. (U) DCM delivered reftel points to Clemens Auer, the

Minister of Health's Chief of Staff, on September 8. APHIS

also discussed avian flu issues with Johann Herzog, Ministry

of Health Advisor for Veterinary Affairs, Medicine,

Biotechnology, and Food Safety; and with Johan Damoser,

Austria's Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO). Auer said that on

September 6, the GoA's Council of Ministers had approved a

National Plan to address the threat of avian flu and a human

pandemic. Auer told us the GoA used differentiated

strategies towards the H5N1 avian flu and any new strain that

could become infectious between humans. Austria's National

Plan, which Auer passed to us, includes plans to address the

threat to agriculture, as well as plans to deal with an

influenza pandemic.

Response to H5N1 Avian Influenza

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2. (U) Auer pointed out that the GoA has been taking

precautionary measures to monitor bird breeding grounds and

migratory routes for several years. Herzog told us that the

GoA had instituted heightened surveillance of birds since the

outbreak in Russia, checking "hundreds of wild birds and

thousands of domestic birds." Veterinary officials have not

ordered farms to place free-range poultry indoors. Austria

does not lie on major migratory routes from the Trans-Urals.

The last case of avian flu in Austria was in 1953. In the

event of infected birds, the National Plan envisages

increased surveillance, establishment of national and

regional crisis centers, closure of farms, quarantining

entire regions, and vaccination of poultry.

Austrian Strategy Against an Influenza Pandemic

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3. (U) The National Plan recognizes the potential for the

virus to mutate into a strain that is infectious between

humans. Measures to deal with a pandemic include the

following: a detailed elaboration of responsibilities for

health care and law enforcement officials; a surveillance

program; and the legal framework for these measures.


4. (SBU) Auer told us that Austria was unsuccessfully

attempting to order a sufficient stockpile -- for 20% of

Austria's population of 8 million -- of the anti-viral drug

Tamiflu from Roche Austria. Auer complained that Roche was

insisting that it did not have enough Tamiflu to fill the

government's order and was charging the MoH Euro 27 for a

pack of 10 tablets. Auer added that he would work within EU

structures to try to persuade Roche to be more cooperative.

According to press reports, the states of Lower Austria,

Burgenland, and Vienna have already stockpiled Tamiflu for

"front-line workers."


5. (U) According to Auer, preparing for a possible avian

pandemic required a proper mix between anti-viral drugs and

vaccines. Baxter Austria notified the MoH that, thanks to a

technological improvement, it would be able to produce an

effective vaccine against a mutated avian flu strain within

six weeks after the virus emerged. Auer contrasted this with

the normal 3-4 month gap between an outbreak and the

production of a vaccine.

Brown