UNCLAS BASRAH 000006

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO PGOV ECON SOCI AMED AMGT IZ
SUBJECT: LOCAL AUTHORITIES CONFIRM NO CASES OF H5N1 STRAIN OF AVIAN
FLU IN BASRAH

1) (U) Summary: Recent media reports and press releases from
Governor Mohammed Mosabeh Mohammed Al Wa'ili's office state that
the various numbers of people have contracted Avian flu are
inaccurate. Discussions with local Iraqi medical authorities
confirm that no cases of H5N1 have been found in Basrah. End
Summary

2) (U) Stories about avian flu in Basrah began to surface on
January 21. These were followed by a statement from Governor
Mohammed Mosabeh Mohammed Al Wa'ili office claiming that five
people in Basrah were infected with the virus. (Note: This
statement was later retracted. The governor has since sent out
three press releases stating that no H5N1 bird flu has been
found in the province. End Note.)

3) (U) REO staff has been in contact with government and
medical authorities regarding this issue. All have stated that
there are no known cases of H5N1 in Basrah. Dr. Mushtak Abdul
Mahdi, the head of Basra Veterinary Laboratories stated that
they have found a small number of cases of H9N1 but no
incidences of H5N1. Dr. Mushtak, who spoke from Baghdad, stated
that another mobile lab is being sent to Basrah to help monitor
the situation. Dr. Mushtak and Dr. Rasol Husain, the head of
veterinary laboratories in north Basrah, are both in Baghdad
attending Ministry of Health meetings on the subject chaired by
Dawood Mohammad, Head of Veterinary Medicine.

4) (U) In another conversation with REO staff Dr. Samson
Samuel of the World Health Organization confirmed that no cases
of H5N1 has been found in Iraq. He went on to say that the
United Nations has allocated 66,000 USD for an education
campaign in Iraq.

5) (U) Mrs. Hajar Al Musawi and Dr. Wathib al Amod, members of
the Basrah Provincial Council committee formed to monitor the
bird flu situation in the province both stated that no human
cases of the Avian flu have been registered in Basrah.

6) (U) Comment: A comprehensive check with numerous local
authorities has confirmed that there have been no cases of the
H5N1 strain of Avian flu in Basrah. Local concerns were fueled
by inaccurate reports in the media and from the Governor's
office. Hopefully public concerns will be soothed with the
recent press releases from the Governor's office and more
accurate media reporting. End Comment.

MFMARRANO