COTE D'IVOIRE: PRESENCE OF AVIAN FLU ALL BUT

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000442 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO EAGR EMED IV SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: PRESENCE OF AVIAN FLU ALL BUT CONFIRMED ¶1. Initial results from several birds found dead in Abidjan have tested positive for H5N1 Avian Influenza (AI). Screening for the virus was performed by two labs, the Insitut Pasteur in Abidjan and in Paris. Ministry officials are waiting for final confirmation from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (UNFAO) lab in Padua, Italy before they make a public announcement. Emergency meetings of the National Committee to Combat Avian Influenza are currently underway. Contacts at the World Health Organization (WHO) are expecting positive confirmation from the UNFAO lab in Padua. ¶2. The infected birds were seven chickens, nine ducks and a sparrow hawk. The ducks and chickens were domesticated, and it is likely that the sparrow hawk became infected with the H5N1 strain after eating one of the diseased birds. As of today, no other outbreaks among domestic or wild bird populations have been reported in Cote d'Ivoire. When contacted, the Cabinet Director for the Ministry of Animal Production and Fisheries, stated that likely they will implement an Abidjan-wide quarantine of the animals for 21 days. This action would meet one of U.S. Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Services recommended standard control measure called zoning. Zoning recommends the quarantine of all birds located in a three kilometer surveillance area surrounding the infected site. The infected area is in the Marcory/Anoumoubo district of Abidjan. However, the Ministry is thinking of going beyond this and implementing zoning control for all of Abidjan. If the Ministry does so, it believes that this would capture all possible infected birds without overly burdening commercial activities in areas outside the potential area of infection. An announcement of an Abidjan-wide quarantine is likely this evening. In addition, the Ministry of Animal Production and Fish Resources has also reported that its agents are in the process of stamping out or destroying any diseased poultry found in the immediate area. In addition, the Ministry has ordered the screening of birds and the control of the movement of birds within Cote d'Ivoire. ¶3. The Deputy Director General for Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Marcel Koffi, contacted the CDC director at post. Dr. Koffi is a member of the National Committee to Combat Avian Influenza. He requested material assistance from the United States with regard to the presence of AI in Cote d'Ivoire. USAID has sent 100 personal protection kits, one decontamination kit and one outbreak investigation lab kit, which are currently en route to Abidjan. The outbreak investigation lab kit has the capacity to collect multiple samples and is equipped to conduct rapid on-site testing. Post will continue to monitor the developing situation closely. Hooks