VIETNAM: AVIAN INFLUENZA WEEKLY REPORT FOR JANUARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000180 SIPDIS STATE FOR USAID WASHDC STATE FOR G; CA/OCS/ACS/EAP; EAP/EX; EAP/MLS; EAP/EP; INR; OES/STC (PBATES); OES/IHA (DSINGER AND NCOMELLA) BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A (MFRIEDMAN AND JMACARTHUR) USDA FOR FAS/PASS TO APHIS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN) USAID FOR ANE AND GH (DCARROLL, SCLEMENTS AND PCHAPLIN) STATE PASS USTR (ELENA BRYAN) STATE ALSO PASS HHS/OGHA (EELVANDER) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR SOCI PGOV TBIO VM SUBJECT: VIETNAM: AVIAN INFLUENZA WEEKLY REPORT FOR JANUARY 20, 2006 REF: HANOI 122 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. There have been no new human Avian Influenza (AI) deaths since late October 2005 and no human cases over the past 64 days. As of January 20, the Government of Vietnam (GVN) reports no AI outbreaks in poultry since the last reported incident on December 17, 2005 in Cao Bang Province. Post believes it is premature to declare victory given that AI is endemic to poultry in Vietnam, surveillance remains limited and we have reports that the nationwide vaccination program has had significant problems in some provinces. The GVN's National AI Steering Committee met to discuss preparedness for the Tet holiday season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is actively supporting GVN's poultry vaccination campaign with needed diagnostic supplies and training. Post's AI Working Group met to review a comprehensive draft AI Pandemic Plan of Action, prepare for an AI tabletop exercise in early February and discussed continued public outreach to the American community in Hanoi. End Summary. AI Snapshot -------------- ¶2. (U) As of January 20, 2006: -- No human AI deaths since October 29 -- No new human AI cases in the past 64 days -- No AI outbreaks in poultry since the last reported incident on Dec. 17, 2005 in Cao Bang Province AI "Contained" -------------- ¶3. (SBU) International and national press have reported that Vietnam has successfully contained bird flu and that no AI outbreaks have been detected over the past four weeks. (NOTE: As previously reported, Post believes it is premature to declare victory given that AI is endemic to poultry in Vietnam, surveillance remains limited, and we have reports that the nationwide vaccination program has had significant problems in some provinces.) National AI Steering Committee Meeting in Hanoi -------------- -- ¶4. (U) The National Steering Committee for Bird Flu Control �00A;met in Hanoi on January 16 and local media reported that representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Transport and Communications, and Trade expressed concern over complicated AI developments in European Union countries, Japan and China. Officials warned that weather changes, increased volume of holiday travelers in tightly confined areas (i.e. buses, trains, etc.) and the transportation of popular poultry products during the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) festival could cause an outbreak at any time and anywhere. ¶5. (U) At the same meeting, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Cao Duc Phat reportedly stated that MARD will organize a meeting with the diplomatic corps to inform them of Vietnam's successful control of avian flu. Minister Phat also called for specific regulations on establishing slaughterhouses in rural areas, including guidelines for their sterilization and sanitation. MARD Director of the Animal Breeding Department Nguyen Dang Vang was quoted in local press saying that many domestic and foreign enterprises have applied for building poultry slaughtering houses with capacity of about 1,000 domestic fowls per day in order to meet increasing demand for safe poultry products. More on Poultry Vaccination Campaign -------------- ¶6. (U) As previously reported (reftel),the GVN is currently stockpiling vaccines for their next round of nationwide poultry vaccination. According to local press, the MARD Department of Animal Health (DAH) has reserved 40 million doses of vaccine and has imported an additional 150 million doses of vaccine in order to help provinces continue the poultry vaccination program. To date, localities across the country have completed their second round of vaccination for over 120 million poultry. ¶7. (U) USDA's National Veterinary Science Laboratory (NVSL) is supplying diagnostic reagents in addition to those already supplied in connection with December real-time PCR training program in order to fulfill critical GVN needs. USDA is also urgently seeking a lab specialist for a three to six month temporarily assigned to the southern area of Vietnam. This would complement a Japanese specialist who provides technical assistance to the DAH in northern Vietnam. USDA will also sponsor two Vietnamese senior laboratory officials on a two-week study tour in the United States to learn about advanced laboratory techniques and laboratory management. Mission AIWG Meeting -------------- ¶8. (SBU) On January 19, core members of Post's AI Working Group (AIWG) met to revise and refine the Mission's AI Pandemic Plan and Action Checklist. The group reviewed FSO and LES drawdown lists and tripwires. Specific roles for drawdown staff during a worse case scenario were also discussed. The group also discussed plans to organize an AI tabletop exercise that would involve the Emergency Action Committee (EAC). An Embassy town meeting to include AI for staff will be held in conjunction with the visit of State Med Director Dr. Laurence Brown next week. Post will continue its efforts to inform the American community on AI preparation. BOARDMAN