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. -------------- Background -------------- ¶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. -------------- Response and Assistance -------------- ¶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 BAGHDAD 00000254 002 OF 002 Kurdistan and Basrah. The Embassy Avian Flu Working Group continues to monitor the situation and to provide assistance to the GOI as appropriate. KHALILZAD