Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CAIRO1007
2006-02-17 17:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

EGYPT: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE, AMBASSADOR CONFERS

Tags:  TBIO AMED CASC SENV EAGR EAID EG KFLU 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 001007 

SIPDIS

FOR NEA, NEA/ELA, NEA/RA
FOR OES, OES/IHA
NSC STAFF FOR SINGH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC SENV EAGR EAID EG KFLU
SUBJECT: EGYPT: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE, AMBASSADOR CONFERS
WITH PRIME MINISTER

REF: CAIRO 1006

Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Jones for
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 001007

SIPDIS

FOR NEA, NEA/ELA, NEA/RA
FOR OES, OES/IHA
NSC STAFF FOR SINGH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC SENV EAGR EAID EG KFLU
SUBJECT: EGYPT: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE, AMBASSADOR CONFERS
WITH PRIME MINISTER

REF: CAIRO 1006

Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Jones for
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. The GOE publicly announced at approximately
1800 local time discovery of H5N1 avian influenza in birds in
Egypt. After an emergency meeting with key officials, Prime
Minister Nazif confirmed to the Ambassador that seven samples
from three different governorates had tested positive for
H5N1. Nazif did not request any assistance from the USG at
this time; an aide to Nazif told emboff a few hours later
that he was coordinating assistance requests from various GOE
agencies. End summary.


2. (C) The Ambassador spoke to Prime Minister Nazif February
17 after the latter completed a meeting with key GOE
officials on the avian influenza outbreak. Nazif made no
request for assistance; the Ambassador stressed that the USG
could best help if it received specific requests that had
been coordinated with all concerned GOE agencies. The Prime
Minister took that on board; the Prime Minister's Chief of
Staff, Sami Saad Zaghloul, told ECPO Counselor not long
thereafter that he was coordinating assistance requests from
various GOE agencies. Zaghloul said the GOE would likely
need masks, disinfectant and vaccines for poultry.


3. (C) Nazif told the Ambassador that four of the positive
H5N1 samples had come from Cairo, two from the neighboring
governorate of Giza, and one from the Upper Egypt governorate
of Minya. (Note. The GOE specifically mentioned these three
governorates in its public announcement. End note.) Nazif
said that the GOE's veterinary agency would be in charge of
culling infected and exposed birds, with the Ministry of
Defense providing closed trucks for the operation.


4. (C) Nazif also said that the GOE would set up a call
center to answer public inquiries about the outbreak. The
center would be organized by the Ministry of Health, though
that Ministry's role would not be made public in order not to
raise concern. Nazif also said that the Ministry of
Information would serve as the GOE's public voice on the
issue.


5. (C) Zaghloul reported that the positive Cairo samples had
come from geographically diverse parts of the city, including
Old Cairo, Heliopolis (northeast of downtown) and Helwan (to
the south). He reported that all samples from Giza and Cairo
had been from small markets or backyard poultry farms.
Contrary to the information reported reftel, Zaghloul said
that the Minya sample had come not from a turkey farm, but
from a reseller who purchased small numbers of birds from
households and small farmers for resale in bulk to Cairo.

RICCIARDONE