VIETNAM - APRIL 20 AVIAN INFLUENZA REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000916 SIPDIS STATE FOR G, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, EAP/EX, EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, OES/STC (PBATES),OES/IHA (DSINGER AND NCOMELLA),AND MED STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH (DCARROLL, SCLEMENTS AND PCHAPLIN) STATE PASS TO USTR (EBRYAN) STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (WSTIEGER, EELVANDER AND ABHAT) USDA PASS TO APHIS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN) BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID (MFRIEDMAN, JMACARTHUR AND MBRADY) ROME FOR FAO SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR SOCI VM SUBJECT: VIETNAM - APRIL 20 AVIAN INFLUENZA REPORT HANOI 00000916 001.20 OF 003 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - DO NOT POST ON INTERNET REF: HANOI 685 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Despite the fact that the Government of Vietnam (GVN) does not have a BLS-3 laboratory, a credible source indicates that two animal health laboratories in Vietnam have been isolating the H5N1 virus. The Vice Director of the Ministry of Health's Drug Administration has confirmed that an agreement was signed with Roche in December 2005 with respect to Tamiflu. On April 12, the GVN held a consultation meeting on the first draft of the Avian Influenza (AI) National Integrated Operational Work Program, dubbed "the Green Book." A joint donor assessment mission, including nearly 30 international technical advisors, began work this week. Results of the joint assessment will be incorporated into the Green Book, which the GVN plans to present at the APEC AI Ministerial meeting held May 4-5 in Danang. State media reported that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Cao Duc Phat plans to discuss with Chinese officials measures to prevent poultry smuggling from China into Vietnam. Post's AI Working Group is developing a computerized AI surveillance database that will capture medical information for Mission staff with suspected AI. There have been no new human AI deaths since late October 2005 and no human cases since mid- November 2005. The GVN continues to report no AI outbreaks in poultry since the last reported incident on December 17, ¶2005. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) David Krueger, a microbiologist from the University of Wisconsin, has been working with MARD's Departments of Animal Health (DAH) laboratories in southern Vietnam to establish an effective real-time (RT) PCR diagnostic system. Over the past month, he has conducted several trainings to establish quality control protocols and provided detailed recommendations to the DAH's Regional Animal Health Center's laboratories in HCMC, Can Tho and Danang. The recommendations highlight the need to conduct periodic proficiency and efficiency trainings and evaluations; to ensure that equipment and supply purchases, especially those donated by aid agencies, are selected by local partners and take into account user friendliness and cost-efficiency, particularly good local supply chains and technical support; and to consider migrating over to one cost-efficient RT-PCR platform, namely Biorad iQ5. ¶3. (SBU) In an outbrief to the Agriculture Attache, Health Attache, ESTHOff, and USAID Regional AI Advisor, Mr. Krueger reported that two DAH laboratories - the National Veterinary Diagnostic Center in Hanoi and the Regional Animal Health Center in HCMC - have been isolating the H5N1 virus, despite the fact that neither facility meets BLS-3 standards for bio- safety protocols. (Note: The GVN does not currently operate any BLS-3 laboratories, although the Japanese Government plans to build a USD 8 million BSL-3 facility at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi. Oxford University operates the only BLS-3 laboratory in Vietnam, which conducts research for commercial applications in HCMC. End Note.) HANOI 00000916 002.22 OF 003 ¶4. (SBU) The Vice Director of the Ministry of Health's Drug Administration confirmed to the Health Attache that the Drug Administration signed an agreement with Roche in December 2005 with respect to Tamiflu. The agreement specifically states that Roche will provide Tamiflu tablets to Vietnam. The GVN has requested approximately 20 million tablets from Roche. In addition, Roche will provide raw materials to the GVN for the production of oseltamivir in addition to providing technical assistance and plant inspections. However, in part because AI appears under control in Vietnam, implementation of oseltamavir production is lagging behind schedule. ¶5. (U) On April 12, MARD Minister Cao Duc Phat hosted a consultation meeting on the first draft of the AI National Integrated Operational Work Program, dubbed "the Green Book," which is a medium-term AI control and human pandemic response plan for 2006-2008. A joint donor assessment mission, including nearly 30 international technical advisors, began work this week. Results of the joint assessment will be incorporated into the Green Book, which the GVN plans to present at the APEC AI Ministerial meeting held May 4-5 in Danang. ¶6. (U) State media reported that the Minister Phat plans to discuss with officials from the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi measures to prevent poultry smuggling from China into Vietnam. These reports also quoted the Head of the National Institute of Animal Health Truong Van Dung, stating that 16 out of 38 blood samples taken from illegally imported chicken seized at the Mong Cai border gate in northern Quang Ninh province have tested positive for the H5 virus. Previously, some of the 30 samples of poultry seized in northern Lang Song province also tested positive for H5 virus. ¶7. (U) In late March, the media reported that local authorities slaughtered 160 chicken and ducks at three farms in Cao Bang province, a border province with China after testing positive for H5. The report further states that no tests were performed to confirm if the virus was the H5N1 strain. Meanwhile, the GVN has not budged from their official position that Vietnam remains AI-free in 2006. ¶8. (SBU) Post's AI Working Group is developing a computerized AI surveillance database that will capture medical information for Mission staff with suspected AI. The information will follow the patient through the course of the illness, reporting their symptoms, signs, treatment and outcome. It will also include the information needed by MED/Washington, HHS, CDC, WHO and others. ¶9. (U) As of April 21, 2006: -- No human AI deaths since October 29, 2005 -- No human AI cases since November 14, 2005 (Note: This GVN official date is five days later than date previously reported in reftel. End note.) -- No AI outbreaks in poultry since the last reported incident on Dec. 17, 2005 in Cao Bang Province ¶10. (U) A snapshot of other AI statistics includes: -- Eight million households were estimated to be engaged in poultry production prior to 2003 -- The total poultry population stands at nearly 220 HANOI 00000916 003.22 OF 003 million. -- Over 51 million birds have been culled from December 2003 to December 2005. -- During October 2005 through January 2006, 246 million vaccine doses were administered during the first national poultry vaccination campaign, including 166.9 million chickens and 78.5 million ducks. Most birds received two vaccinations. -- Since February 2006, 33 million poultry in 30 cities and provinces have been vaccinated as part of the second national vaccination campaign. -- Approximately USD 50 million was committed to AI activities in Vietnam by the end of 2005. -- The USG is one of the largest AI donors in Vietnam, contributing USD 24 million in FY-2006 alone. Marine