INDONESIA - DECEMBER 8 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE

UNCLAS JAKARTA 013452 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 8 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE REF: A) Jakarta 13370 B) Jakarta 13194 1.(U) Summary. Indonesia's National Committee for AI Control and Pandemic Alert (KOMNAS) announced a "Beat the Bird Flu!" public awareness campaign on December 1. KOMNAS will launch this public-private initiative on December 16. Lativi, a local television station carried another episode of a State Department-sponsored AI documentary on December 6. APHIS announced the permanent assignment of Max Coats to head the APHIS office at Embassy Jakarta. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) hosted a two-day workshop to exchange information on various poultry AI control programs and identify under-resourced elements of the Indonesia's National Strategic Work Plan for possible future funding. NAMRU-2 reports no new detected or confirmed human cases of AI infection since November 12. End Summary. AI Public Awareness Efforts Increase -------------- ¶2. (U) KOMNAS announced a "Beat the Bird Flu!" multimedia campaign to heighten public awareness of bird flu on December 1. This month-long campaign is a joint initiative among Indonesia's 24 Hour news channel Metro TV, the Indonesian hotel and restaurant association, private businesses, and KOMNAS. The campaign will kick off with a charity concert on December 16, featuring top Indonesian performers. KOMNAS will distribute posters, brochures and other educational materials about avian influenza nationally throughout the months of December and January as a part of the private sector effort. Special television programming will begin on January 1 on Metro TV, and will include special series, programs and public service announcements devoted entirely to the bird flu problem. "We welcome the voluntary cooperation of the media and the private sector," said Bayu Krisnamurthi, Executive Secretary of KOMNAS. "The seriousness of the health threat posed by avian influenza means that everyone needs to get involved in this fight." USAID is working with KOMNAS to shape the campaign messages to encourage consistency with other communications efforts. ¶3. (U) On December 6, Lativi, one of Indonesia's fastest growing television stations, carried another episode of the State Department-sponsored TV co-op on avian influenza. The piece discussed diagnostic methods in Delaware and quoted American researchers. APHIS Assigns Lead for Embassy Office -------------- ¶4. (U) USDA has announced the assignment of Dr. Max Coats as Veterinary Officer/Avian Influenza Coordinator to Embassy Jakarta. Dr. Coats will establish a five-person office, including several Indonesian animal health professionals, which will provide on the ground expertise regarding animal health issues surrounding AI in Indonesia. Dr. Coats will arrive in January 2007 for an initial tour of 13 months. Food and Agricultural Organization Coordination Actions -------------- -------------- ¶5. (U) FAO Indonesia hosted a consultation forum on December 4 to intensify coordination on technical aspects of combating AI in animals. The forum included an exchange of information on AI projects in the poultry sector, information on project implementation and discussion of missing or under-resourced elements of the GOI National Strategic Work Plan. Over 20 representatives from the international donor community (including USAID and FAS) and GOI participated in the meeting. ¶6. (SBU) FAO's team of technical experts followed the forum with a two-day internal workshop to assess progress to date, strengthen support for the Ministry of Agriculture's AI Campaign Management Unit, and to finalize the FAO work plan for 2007. FAO plans to use the meeting to establish realistic objectives towards full implementation of the MOA's National Strategic Work Plan. NAMRU-2 Human AI Case Profile -------------- ¶7. (SBU) NAMRU-2 reports no new human cases since November ¶12. NAMRU-2 data indicates the following AI-related case profile as of December 8: -- Number of laboratory confirmed (positive PCR and/or serology) human AI cases: 74, of which 57 have been fatal (case fatality rate of 77 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 4. 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