INDONESIA - SEPTEMBER 25 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 011842 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/IET, A/MED AND S/ES-O DEPT FOR G/AIAG/JLANGE AND RFENDRICK DEPT FOR OES/FO, OES/EID, OES/PCI, OES/STC AND OES/IHA DEPT PASS TO USDA/FAS/DLP/HWETZEL AND FAS/ICD/LAIDIG DEPT ALSO PASS TO USDA/FAS/FAA/DYOUNG AND USDA/APHIS DEPT ALSO PASS TO USAID/ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/ABHAT/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH PARIS FOR FAS/AG MINISTER COUNSELOR CANBERRA FOR APHIS/DHANNAPEL ROME FOR FAO NSC FOR JMELINE BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A USPACOM ALSO PASS TO J07 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR AMGT PGOV ID KFLU SUBJECT: INDONESIA - SEPTEMBER 25 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE REF: A) Jakarta 11582 and previous JAKARTA 00011842 001.2 OF 002 1.(SBU) Summary. Dr. Nyoman Kandun, Director General for Diseases Control and Environmental Health convened the first Government of Indonesia (GOI) interagency meeting on September 22 to discuss Tangerang pilot project implementation. USDA sponsored a three- day seminar on biosecurity and disease surveillance in wet markets in Tangerang municipality from September 18-20. As of September 25, NAMRU-2 and MOH laboratories have confirmed two additional (both fatal) human AI cases since reftel. Updated data from NAMRU-2 and the Ministry of Health (MOH) show 67 human AI cases in Indonesia with 51 fatalities. End Summary. Tangerang Trilateral Project Update -------------- ¶2. (U) On September 22, Dr. Nyoman Kandun convened a planning meeting for the Tangerang pilot project that included strong GOI participation from the Tangerang Municipality, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU),Agriculture, Health, and the National AI Committee. Representatives from the Mission and Singaporean Embassy attended the session. The GOI provided an overview of AI related activities (training and public awareness) that they have already implemented in Tangerang. DEPLU officials reported that a Singapore-Indonesia Letter of Intent (LOI) is nearly complete, and suggested that the U.S. might wish to develop a LOI of its own since Tangerang municipality operates under a different authority than Jakarta. DEPLU officials noted that they would study existing umbrella agreements with the US before making a final recommendation. ¶3. (U) MOH officials reported that they would convene a separate meeting with the Ministry of Finance to establish a mechanism for Singaporean reimbursement for the project. We continued to push for a designated GOI project lead, establishment of the working committees, and stronger National AI committee involvement in coordinating the project. Dr. Nyoman noted that as soon as the GOI finalizes the reimbursement mechanism, GOI would hire staff for the Tangerang project and convene working committees. Wet Market Seminar Heavily Subscribed -------------- ¶4. (U) USDA sponsored a three-day seminar covering biosecurity and disease surveillance in wet markets in Tangerang municipality from September 18-20. Seminar organizers ran a plenary session for an audience of sixty participants, targeting government and industry officials, followed by smaller workshops for poultry producers, slaughterhouse operators, and government workers. Speakers from national and international human and animal health organizations discussed factors that influence the presence of H5N1 and HPAI at the market level. High interest in the sessions necessitated wait listing and turning away participants. USDA plans similar workshops in the future to meet demand. NAMRU-2 Human AI Case Profile -------------- JAKARTA 00011842 002.2 OF 002 ¶5. (SBU) NAMRU-2 reports two new (both fatal) cases of human H5N1 infection since reftel. On September 22, NAMRU-2 and MOH laboratories confirmed H5N1 infection in an 11-year-old Indonesian male who died on September 18 at a hospital in Tulungagung, East Java. On September 24, NAMRU-2 also confirmed H5N1 infection in a nine year-old male from South Jakarta who died at the Infectious Disease Hospital on September 22. Local health officials reported both boys had contact with dead chickens near their homes. ¶6. (SBU) NAMRU-2 data indicates the following AI-related case profile as of September 25: -- Number of laboratory confirmed (positive PCR and/or serology) human AI cases: 67, of which 51 have been fatal (case fatality rate of 76 percent). -- Number of probable AI cases 2, with 1 death (fatality rate of 50 percent). -- Number of cases awaiting analysis at the U.S. CDC: 2. -- Number of possible untested AI cases under investigation (last 30 days): approximately 35. Note: NAMRU-2 data corresponds with MOH data but may vary at times with AI case figures presented on the official World Health Organization (WHO) website, which usually lags NAMRU-2 data by one week. The WHO website, last updated on September 19, notes 65 human AI cases in Indonesia with 49 deaths. WHO figures can be accessed at www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza. HEFFERN