INDONESIA - DECEMBER 1 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE

UNCLAS JAKARTA 013370 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/IET, MED/DASHO/EMR AND MED DEPT FOR G/AIAG AND OES DEPT PASS TO USDA/FAS/DLP/HWETZEL AND FAS/ICD/LAIDIG DEPT ALSO PASS TO USDA/FAS/FAA/DYOUNG AND USDA/APHIS/ANNELLI 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 BANGKOK FOR APHIS/CARDENAS, RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A CANBERRA FOR APHIS/EDWARDS ROME FOR FAO NSC FOR JMELINE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR KFLU PGOV ID SUBJECT: INDONESIA - DECEMBER 1 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE REF: A) Jakarta 13194 B) Jakarta 13014 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. The Dutch hosted a workshop on November 25 and 26 that will make recommendations on animal vaccine strategy to the Ministry of Agriculture. The local television station Lativi began broadcasting AI mini- documentaries on November 10 and will continue these broadcasts through the end of the year. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) representatives joined a Ministry of Agriculture Advisory Group and urged regular release of poultry outbreak information to the international community, public and local media. Experts from USAID and other donor organizations spent the week of November 27 developing an operational research plan for effective interventions for AI control in animals. As of December 1, the PDS/PDR program has expanded to cover 75 districts. On November 30, a local newspaper published an article briefly describing the Tangerang trilateral project that will be implemented next year. Although no new cases have been confirmed since November 12, an AI patient hospitalized since November 11 died on November 28 raising Indonesian AI fatalities to 57. As of December 1, NAMRU-2 data reflects 74 confirmed cases with 57 fatalities. End Summary. Dutch Host Vaccine Strategies Workshop -------------- ¶2. (U) The Embassy of the Netherlands held a conference on November 25 and 26 entitled, "Workshop on Strategy Development for the Introduction of a DIVA (Differentiate Infected from Vaccinated Animals) Principle". The objectives of the workshop were to review experiences and progress to date of DIVA; recommend to the Ministry of Agriculture vaccination strategies; discuss the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders; and develop a road map with implementation timeframes. The conference reported on initial test results on the efficacy of locally produced vaccines. The benchmark for protection of poultry after two vaccines is set at 80 percent (i.e. 80% of birds are protected.) The research carried out to dates suggests that the locally produced vaccine tested appears to be falling below this benchmark. Currently, there are 12 local and imported vaccines registered for use for poultry in Indonesia. Lativi Broadcasts AI Documentaries -------------- ¶3. (U) Lativi, one Indonesia's fastest growing commercial TV stations began broadcasting AI documentaries on November 10 and will continue through the end of this year. The station started with a series of 2-3 mini-documentaries and plans to broadcast two 30-minute documentaries during the week of December 18. Approximately seven million reviewers throughout Indonesia watch Lativi regularly. The Lativi programs have been high quality. FAO Reps Join Ministry of Agriculture Advisory Group -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) In October 2006, the Minister of Agriculture agreed to restructure the Central Management Unit for AI Control (CMU) to include technical expertise from the FAO. On November 6, the restructured CMU met and discussed the draft work plan for 2007 and the need for releasing AI outbreak information. FAO representatives urged the Ministry to release Participatory Disease Surveillance/Participatory Disease Response (PDS/PDR) weekly outbreak information to the international community and set up a system for regular release of information to the public. In presenting the draft 2007 workplan, Dr. Elly Sawitri Siregar, the CMU Director, praised the USG for its support for the PDS/PDR program, citing the program's contributions to surveillance capacity, disease understanding, and informed decision- making. The 2007 work plan includes the establishment of Local Disease Control Centers in every Indonesian province. USAID Tech Assistance to MOA/FAO for AI Control in Animals -------------- -------------- ¶5. (U) Experts from USAID and other donor organizations spent the week of November 27 in Jakarta developing an operational research plan for implementing and validating the most effective interventions for AI control in animals. The plan will test the effectiveness of culling with and without compensation, ring vaccination, and preventive vaccination in sector 4 (backyard) chickens. USAID is partnering with the World Bank to provide financial support to implement these activities, conduct further evaluations and provide feedback to the GOI in 2007. 6.(U) As of December 1, 2006, the PDS/PDR program has expanded to cover 75 districts. The program is on schedule to cover all districts (159) on the islands of Java and Bali and two provinces on the island of Sumatra by June 2007. Indonesia Newspaper Reports on Tangerang Pilot Project -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) On November 30, Seputar Indonesia, a local newspaper ran a story on the Tangerang Pilot project reporting that the Government of Indonesia is preparing a pilot project to handle the spread of bird flu. MOA bird flu Emergency Response Team Chief Delima Hasri Azahari said the pilot project would be concentrated in Tangerang and would involve a team of researchers that will begin conducting examinations in the field next year. According to Azahari, "We hope this project will serve as an example for other regions, especially regions with bird flu." NAMRU-2 Human AI Case Profile -------------- ¶8. (SBU) NAMRU-2 reports no new human cases in the past two weeks. However, a 35-year-old female from Tangerang who had been hospitalized for bird flu at RSPI Hospital in Jakarta since November 11 died on November 28 of what is believed to be a hospital acquired infection. This death raised Indonesia AI fatalities to 57. NAMRU-2 data indicates the following AI-related case profile as of December 1: -- Number of laboratory confirmed (positive PCR and/or serology) human AI cases: 74, of which 57 have been fatal (case fatality rate of 79 percent). -- Number of probable AI cases 3 (2 deaths, 67%). -- Number of cases awaiting analysis at the U.S. CDC: 0. -- Number of possible untested AI cases under investigation (last 30 days): approximately 16. 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 November 29, notes 74 human AI cases in Indonesia with 57 deaths. WHO figures can be accessed at www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza. PASCOE