HUMAN H5N1 CASE CONFIRMED IN IRAQ

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000254

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: HUMAN H5N1 CASE CONFIRMED IN IRAQ

REF: A. 05 BAGHDAD 4384


1. SUMMARY: The Naval Medical Research Unit-3 (NAMRU)
in Cairo confirmed January 29 that the young girl who
died January 17 in Sulaymaniyah Province had
contracted H5N1 avian influenza (AI). NAMRU has not
yet tested the girl's uncle, who died January 28. The
World Health Organization (WHO) is acting as lead on
international assistance to the GOI, whose response
since H9N2 was discovered in Erbil in October 2005 has
been disjointed (reftel). The Embassy Avian Flu
Working Group continues to monitor the situation and
provide assistance to the GOI as appropriate. END
SUMMARY.

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Background
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2. NAMRU in Cairo, which serves as the Eastern
Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO)/WHO Regional
Reference Laboratory, confirmed January 29 that
Shrikeen Abdel-Qader, the 15-year-old girl who died
January 17 in Sulaymaniyah, had contracted H5N1 AI.
(NOTE: Press accounts and official sources differ on
the exact names of the young girl and her uncle.
There is only one confirmed case of human H5N1 AI in
Iraq. END NOTE.) The WHO had reported previously
that Shrikeen died from bacterial pneumonia. NAMRU
has forwarded samples to London for a second
confirmation and has informed the WHO, which will
notify the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Baghdad. NAMRU
also tested samples from two women who had close
contact with Shrikeen, both of whom tested negative
for H5N1. Shrikeen's uncle, who was in close contact
with her during her illness, died on January 28.
NAMRU has not yet tested samples from him.


3. According to local reports, Shrikeen lived in a
district called Rania, which is located 60 miles south
of the Turkish border and is known as a stopover for
migratory birds from Turkey. Shrikeen's family
reportedly kept chickens in their home, and some of
these birds also had died. According to
MoH/Sulaymaniyah sources, Shrikeen's uncle, Mohammed
Abdullah Qader, lived in the same district but had no
direct contact with poultry. The same source said
that Mohammed had accompanied Shrikeen in the
ambulance from Rania to the Sulaymaniyah hospital, and
that Mohammed said on January 24 that his hometown of
Sarkapkan had been free of living birds for the
previous 20 days.

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Response and Assistance
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4. The WHO is acting as lead in providing
international assistance to the GOI. The Kurdish
Regional Government (KRG) has requested 20,000 doses
of Tamiflu (enough to treat 2,000 patients at ten
doses per patient) from the WHO, and the WHO is
responding through its representative in Kurdistan.
In addition, the WHO is sending two investigative
teams to Iraq and is prepared send more as the
situation requires. The KRG also requested 1,000
doses of Tamiflu and 100 individual test kits from the
Republic of Korea (ROK) contingent in Erbil, which the
ROK has provided.


5. Since the initial outbreak of H9N2 in October 2005
(reftel),the KRG and MoH/Baghdad have been working
with WHO and Embassy officials to monitor bird
movements and suspected AI cases. USAID has assisted
the KRG through its office in Erbil; the Embassy
Health Attache regularly consults with MoH officials;
and MNF-I has provided guidance on veterinary issues.
Also, the Ministries of Agriculture and Health in
Baghdad and Kurdistan have been conducting a media
campaign to educate farmers and the general population
on the dangers of AI and on the proper procedure for
reporting abnormal bird and poultry situations.
(COMMENT: A systematic lack of communication between
the Kurdistani and central governments has led to
suboptimal coordination on AI response and prevention
planning. In light of the critical need for a
response now, donors should consider approaches to
assist GOI ministries in their planning. We are
flying the Minister of Health to Kurdistan January 30
in an effort to improve coordination. END COMMENT.)


6. Prior to confirmation that Shrikeen had contracted
H5N1, only the H9N2 strain of AI had been confirmed in

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Kurdistan and Basrah. The Embassy Avian Flu Working
Group continues to monitor the situation and to
provide assistance to the GOI as appropriate.

KHALILZAD