EGYPT: H5N1 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) CONFIRMED IN

UNCLAS CAIRO 001006 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR NEA, NEA/ELA NEA/RA FOR LAWSON OES FOR AMBASSADOR POWELL OES/IHA FOR DALEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC SENV EAGR EG KFLU SUBJECT: EGYPT: H5N1 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) CONFIRMED IN POULTRY; NO HUMAN CASES Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (U) NIACT precedence due to urgency of information regarding outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in Egyptian poultry. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: H5N1 avian influenza has been detected in samples from birds from multiple locations in three governorates in Egypt. No human cases have been reported. The Ambassador has spoken to the Ministers of Health and Agriculture regarding next steps. Post's ACS section is preparing a warden notice. End summary. ¶3. (SBU) H5N1 avian influenza was confirmed in multiple samples from locations in three governorates in Egypt: Cairo, Giza and Minya. The Cairo and Giza samples were from markets and backyard poultry farms. The Minya sample came from a turkey farm that suffered a large die-off of birds earlier this week. The GOE provided samples from these locations to the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU-3) in Cairo early on February 17. NAMRU-3 confirmed the samples as H5 shortly after receiving them and confirmed H5N1 by 1500 February 17. It appears that GOE labs had already determined the presence of H5N1 and was using NAMRU, which is the WHO reference lab in Cairo, to confirm its findings. ¶4. (SBU) After learning from NAMRU-3 early February 17 that the samples were likely H5N1, the Ambassador spoke to Health Minister Dr. Hatem el Gabaly (in New York) and to Minister of Agriculture Amin Abaza to learn more about the GOE's planned response and to offer support. Gabaly told the Ambassador that he had already informed David Navarro, the AI coordinator for the World Health Organization (WHO),of the outbreak. Prime Minister Nazif called a meeting of key GOE officials for 1400 February 17. ¶5. (SBU) ACS is preparing a warden notice for the American community in Egypt. A town meeting for Embassy employees will be held Monday, February 20. RICCIARDONE