AVIAN INFLUENZA EXPECTED TO REACH FINLAND WITHIN A

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HELSINKI 000254

SIPDIS

USEU FOR DKANAREK

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU ECON AMGT AEMR CASC PREL WHO FI
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA EXPECTED TO REACH FINLAND WITHIN A
COUPLE OF WEEKS


AI ON ITS WAY
--------------

1. The Finnish government (GOF) is convinced that avian
influenza (AI) will spread to Finland by migratory birds
returning north. GOF says it is not a matter of "if" AI
will arrive in Finland, but rather "when." It is assumed
that the virus will be found in Finland as increasing
numbers of migratory birds return from wintering grounds
further south. Mallard ducks are spending the winter in
northern Germany and will return to Finland when the
weather gets warmer, according to Matti Aho, Director
General, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MOA). When
temperatures rise above freezing point, the ducks will
arrive, and will probably bring AI with them. GOF
officials do not expect poultry to become infected due to
the efficiency of disease prevention in poultry farms in
Finland.


PRIME MINISTER VANHANEN ON THE AI SITUATION
--------------

2. At a press conference on Thursday, March 9th, Prime
Minister Matti Vanhanen said that Finns have good reason to
feel calm and should exercise common sense. He added that
easy-to-understand recommendations and advice are being
prepared on what to do if/when dead birds are found.


3. GOF and media have stepped up the pace of informational
announcements and articles for the public as confirmed AI
cases are revealed in neighboring Sweden, as well as in
eleven member states of the EU. Articles with practical,
helpful advice on AI causes, transmission and prevention
have been carried almost daily in major newspapers.

PESTICIDES KILLED BIRDS IN KOTKA
--------------

4. Despite reports of 22 dead birds earlier in February
that raised local levels of attention, the GOF reported on
February 28 that tests on all bird corpses were negative
and confirmed the absence of the AI virus in any of the
dead birds found to date. The National Veterinary and Food
Research Institute (EELA) confirmed in mid March that the
birds died of parathion pesticide poisoning. (Note: As
this pesticide is banned, officials are perplexed at and
looking for its source.)

BUFFER ZONES
--------------

5. The residents of Finland are advised to report dead
birds to the provincial veterinarian in cases of more than
five swans or ten other birds, under circumstances where
cause of death is not evident. The public is continually
reminded not to touch dead birds.


6. On the national level, protective buffer zones will be
set up around poultry farms in the vicinity of any AI
discovery, in order to prevent chickens, turkeys, and other
domestic fowl from being infected by wild birds. Measures
differ between locations: the same level of readiness is
not required in Helsinki, for instance, as in communities
elsewhere with large poultry farms. If dead birds are
found, the provincial veterinarian will be called, and
rescue personnel will help if needed in removing the birds.
Police will cordon off the immediate area and place warning
signs.


7. In addition, a protective zone of three kilometers in
diameter will be set up around the site, within which
veterinarians will examine all poultry on farms. All dead
animals will be destroyed. The transport of poultry within
the zone will be restricted, and hygiene precautions will
be stepped up: cars and footwear will be sprayed with
disinfectant. In a larger area of five kilometers from the
site, limitations on the movement of poultry will be
imposed. Dead birds will be incinerated, or in the event
of massive numbers, they could also be buried at landfill
dumps. If there are many infected birds, and an epidemic
is suspected, vaccination of domesticated birds might be
considered.

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE DECREE
--------------

8. Farmers have been mandated to keep domestic poultry
indoors from March 3 until May 31, with the provision that
this may be extended if necessary, as a precautionary
measure. On February 28, 2006, MOA brought forward a
decree ordering that all poultry in areas at risk should be

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kept inside. Areas at risk include 160 communities,
including the Aland Islands, which receive large numbers of
water fowl during bird migration each spring. The ministry
also expanded the list of risk areas to include a number of
poultry breeding areas in Ostrobothnia, Southwest Finland
and Savo. The regulations were originally to have taken
effect on March 15th, however implementation was begun
earlier to allow the precautions to be in place before the
spring migration begins. The MOA's guidelines include
detailed instructions to veterinary professionals on how to
protect themselves from birds carrying the virus.


9. The ban on outdoor poultry will not cause much havoc
since most birds are kept indoors during the winter months
in Finland, with the exception of some ostriches and
pheasants. Provincial veterinarians will be allowed to
grant permission to deviate from the orders to keep birds
indoors only in exceptional situations. This could take
place if keeping the birds indoors would significantly hurt
their well-being.

AVIAN INFLUENZA HOTLINE
--------------

10. An AI hotline began operating on February 21. GOF set
up the service to alleviate fears over the spread of the
H5N1 virus. The staff of the MOA as well that of the
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MoSAH) gives updated
information on AI on 0800-02277, Monday through Friday
10.00 AM - 06.00 PM. Questions can also be sent by e-mail
to the address lintuinfluenssa@mmm.fi. More information
about AI can be found on various authorities' web sites on
the Internet: MOA: www.mmm.fi/lintuinfluenssa ; EELA:
www.eela.fi ; MoSAH: www.stm.fi , National Public Health
Institute KTL: www.ktl.fi and National Food Agency,
Finland: www.elintarvikevirasto.fi .

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AVIAN INFLUENZA DRILL
--------------

11. The MOA released the results of a drill held on March 9
to test GOF officials' readiness for handling AI and aimed
at testing how well different officials would work together
in an outbreak of AI. The Government and several ministry
officials tested both decision-making and communications in
the case of an emergency. During the drill, officials
practiced responding to a situation where the AI disease is
found in both wild birds and poultry in Finland. In the
scenario, hundreds of dead geese were found at a trailer
park in a coastal area of West Finland. On the same
evening, a poultry farm in the west of Finland reported a
number of bird deaths, shortly after birds had been
transported from the farm for slaughter. In the simulated
exercise, all birds on the farm were "destroyed," and a
three-kilometer quarantine zone was set up around the farm;
under the regulations, birds cannot be moved to or from
poultry farms within the zone.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
--------------

12. The largest landfill in the Helsinki area, at Ammassuo
in Espoo, will be covered by a large mesh fence to keep
seagulls away. It is estimated that up to about 10,000
seagulls visit the Ammassuo landfill on a daily basis. A
key aim of the planned cage is to protect people working at
the landfill against birds that might be infected by AI.
Officials at the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV)
emphasize that fears of AI are not the only reason for the
move; seagulls are an annual problem at the dump. They can
spread salmonella and cause other types of hygiene problems
as well. A cage suspended by poles and cables about 20
meters high is to be set up on top of the landfill. Plans
are to put it up in April and May before the seagull
migration.


13. Retail traders in Finland are being urged to prevent
birds from settling on shopping carts which are left
outside shops and stores by staff and customers. The
Finnish Food Marketing Association has asked stores to be
more vigilant in an attempt to reduce the risk of AI and
food contamination. Retailers are also being told they
should ensure that birds do not enter food stores through
windows or storage areas.

THE NATIONAL INFLUENZA PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS PLAN
-------------- --------------

14. The National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan was
released on March 15, one week later than earlier
announced. A shorter version of the plan (in English) can

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be found on MoSAH webpage: "Finnish National Preparedness
Plan for an Influenza Epidemic"
http://www.stm.fi/Resource.phx/vastt/tervh/li ntuflunssa/kie
liversiot.htx


15. A key objective of the plan is to ensure equal services
to the population in different areas of the country even in
the exceptional conditions of a pandemic, although
organization and implementation may differ from region to
region. MoSAH has plans to vaccinate all Finns if a
pandemic of bird flu breaks out. However, the question of
who gets inoculated first depends on the seriousness of the
situation.


16. According to the preparedness plan, first in line for
the vaccine will be health care personnel caring for
patients who have caught the disease. If the pandemic
proves to be as serious as the Spanish Flu in 1918,
inoculations of the whole population would begin, starting
with the youngest, and proceeding to older age groups.
Babies as young as six months could be given the shots. If
the pandemic is of a moderate type, such as the Asian Flu
of 1957, or the Hong Kong Flu of 1968, the first to get the
vaccine would be those aged 65 and over, as well as those
considered at risk because of existing ailments.


17. The National Emergency Supply Agency has 1.3 million
doses of the Tamiflu influenza medication in stock as well
as the same medication, oseltamivir phosphate, in powdered
bulk form. The target set by the preparedness plan is that
during a pandemic, anyone infected would be treated within
48 hours.


18. The Council of State has further decided that in order
to test the appropriate operation of the government
management systems a pandemic exercise will be organized on
April 20, 2006. Additionally, at the end of 2006, when the
update of provincial plans has been completed, their
appropriateness will be tested through an exercise
specifically designed for assessing the operation of
Provincial Offices and regional levels of different
administrative sectors. Based on lessons learned from this
exercise, the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness plan
will be updated as appropriate, and the revised plan will
be tested in a national preparedness exercise to be
organized during 2007.

FINLAND ORDERS 5.2 MILLION H5N1 VACCINE DOSES
--------------


19. On Thursday 3/23/2006 the Finnish National Public
Health Institute (KTL) signed an agreement to buy 5.2
million vaccine doses for AI, enough to cover the entire
population. The order, from the Dutch group Solvay
Pharmaceuticals, will cost 20.8 million euros (25 million
dollars). The vaccine production is planned to start in the
fall, with the clinical testing to establish the vaccine's
exact formula and dosage to be carried out in Finland in
the coming months.


20. In addition, KTL has made an advance reservation deal
with Solvay to buy 5.5 million doses of a more targeted AI
vaccine. However, that vaccine cannot be developed until
an actual pandemic would break out.

WARE