INDONESIA - DECEMBER 19 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE

UNCLAS JAKARTA 013527

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 19 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE

REF: A) Jakarta 13370 B) Jakarta 13194

1.(U) Summary. On December 4, the Australian Agency for
International Development (AUSAID) announced an additional AUS $18.5
million commitment (US $14.5 million) to combat AI in Indonesia,
raising its total commitment to AUS $34 million (US $26.7 million).
On December 14 in Tangerang, USDA launched the first in a series of
epidemiological workshops. USAID's Community-Based AI Control
(CBAIC) project and its NGO partners recently conducted AI training
sessions for sub-district facilitators in nine districts. For the
fifth consecutive week, NAMRU-2 reports no new detected or confirmed
human cases of AI infection. End Summary.

AUSAID Commits to More AI Funding
--------------


2. (U) On December 4, AUSAID announced plans to provide an
additional AUS $18.5 million over four years to the Government of
Indonesia (GOI) for combating AI. The funding will fund three new
initiatives and allow AUSAID to expand existing programs, including
support for the Ministry of Agriculture/Food and Agricultural
Organization Participatory Disease Surveillance and Response Program
(PDS/PDR). The three new initiatives include: supporting the GOI's
Strategic Plan at the National Level (policy and coordination);
expanding capacity building and post graduate training, and; rolling
out PDS/PDR programs and community awareness initiatives in South
Sulewesi and Papua. The additional assistance raises Australia's
total contribution to AUS$ 34 million (US $26.7 million).

USDA Sponsors Epidemilogy Workshops in Tangerang
-------------- --------------


3. (U) USDA is sponsoring its first of a series of epidemiological
workshops in Tangerang, Banten Province from 14-23 December.
Workshop organizers designed the session for Indonesian field staff
responsible for AI control at the provincial and district levels.
Sponsored in collaboration with Indonesia's National Committee for
AI Control and Pandemic Alert (KOMNAS) and other GOI and donor
organizations, the workshop is targeting approximately 40 field
staff in Tangerang, Banten, Jakarta and West Java provinces. Table
top exercises in the workshop are designed to promote sound
analytical approaches to data collection, diagnostic capability,
financial and human resources management, biosecurity, reporting,
planning and public awareness. It is the first of seven such
workshops USDA is planning to sponsor in Indonesia. The Ambassador
attended the workshop's opening session and made brief remarks.

USAID AI Training
--------------


4. (U) USAID's Community-Based AI Control (CBAIC) project and its
NGO partners recently conducted AI training sessions for
sub-district facilitators in nine districts. Immediately after this
training, one of the sub-district facilitators found a possible case
of AI in poultry and notified the local livestock department PDS/PDR
team, which then confirmed the AI diagnosis. Local press reported
this event along with information on how to prevent the spread of AI
and a phone number for suspected outbreaks. CBAIC is distributing
3,500 booklets, 1,000 shop blinds and 500 flipcharts to support
community mobilization and AI prevention activities. UNICEF will
print an additional 100,000 copies of the USAID/CBAIC booklet for
distribution in Java and South Sulawesi.

NAMRU-2 Human AI Case Profile
--------------


5. (SBU) NAMRU-2 reports no new human cases since November 12.
NAMRU-2 data indicates the following AI-related case profile as of
December 15:

-- 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