Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JAKARTA2403
2006-02-23 06:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:
INDONESIA - FEBRUARY 21 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE
how-toVZCZCXRO6032 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHJA #2403/01 0540643 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 230643Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9994 RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUENMED/BUMED WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9048 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0813 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1842 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 1706 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2041 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3233 RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0033 RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0195
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002403
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EAP/IET, A/MED AND S/ES-O
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/BILL STEIGER AND AMAR BHAT
PARIS FOR FAS/AG MINISTER COUNSELOR
CANBERRA FOR APHIS/DHANNAPEL
ROME FOR FAO
NSC FOR JMELINE
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO, AMED, CASC, EAGR, AMGT, PGOV, ID, KFLU
SUBJECT:INDONESIA - FEBRUARY 21 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE
REF: Jakarta 2177 and previous
JAKARTA 00002403 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002403
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EAP/IET, A/MED AND S/ES-O
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/BILL STEIGER AND AMAR BHAT
PARIS FOR FAS/AG MINISTER COUNSELOR
CANBERRA FOR APHIS/DHANNAPEL
ROME FOR FAO
NSC FOR JMELINE
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO, AMED, CASC, EAGR, AMGT, PGOV, ID, KFLU
SUBJECT:INDONESIA - FEBRUARY 21 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE
REF: Jakarta 2177 and previous
JAKARTA 00002403 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Summary. Authorities in several Indonesian
provinces have announced actions to control Avian Influenza
(AI) in birds, including door-to-door inspections, culling
and vaccinations, according to press reports. The total
number of confirmed human AI cases in Indonesia has risen to
27, with 19 deaths, indicating a mortality rate of 70
percent. NAMRU2 scientists believe there may be larger
numbers of mild or asymptomatic human AI cases that are not
being reported to health authorities. End Summary.
2. (U) Since we transmitted reftel, the Indonesian press has
reported announcements by several provincial or city
authorities to control AI in birds. Jakarta authorities
reportedly plan to send a 600-person team to "scour"
residential areas starting February 24, testing birds for
AI. Their plan is to kill all birds within a one-kilometer
radius of sick birds and vaccinate all birds within an
additional three kilometers. The authorities plan to
reimburse bird owners 10,000 rupiah (about 1 US dollar) per
bird. However, according to February 23 press reports,
Jakarta authorities will take 2-3 days to "fully verify"
that birds are infected before beginning culling. (Note:
The 600-person team will operate within Jakarta city limits
only, and will not cover the suburbs east, west, and south
of Jakarta where many of the human AI cases have originated.
These suburbs lie in Banten and West Java province. End
Note.) Provincial officials in West and Central Java have
reportedly bemoaned lack of resources to carry out
inspections and vaccinations of birds in these densely
populated areas.
Human AI Case Profile
--------------
3. (U) NAMRU-2 data indicates the following AI-related case
profile as of February 22.
-- Number of laboratory confirmed (positive PCR and/or
serology) human AI cases: 27, of which 19 have been fatal
(fatality rate of 70 percent).
-- Number of probable AI cases: 5, with 4 deaths (fatality
rate of 80 percent).
-- Number of cases awaiting verification by the US CDC: 1.
-- Number of possible AI cases under investigation:
approximately 28.
-- Number of excluded AI cases: 193.
4. (U) NAMRU-2 surmises that there may be significant
numbers of mild or asymptomatic cases of AI in humans in
Indonesia that are not being reported to health authorities.
The cases that are brought to the attention of hospitals are
usually those in which the disease is advanced. Patients
generally report to the hospital at day 5-7 of illnesses, a
fact that may explain the high fatality rate of AI in
Indonesia.
JAKARTA 00002403 002.2 OF 002
5. (SBU) Comment: The number of stories about AI in the
Indonesian press has increased noticeably in recent weeks,
probably due to the rise in the number of human AI cases in
January and February, and to the increased cases of AI world
wide. The Jakarta city government's decision to begin a
more organized culling and vaccination program is good news,
but more forceful follow up actions will be needed to
control AI among poultry in the capital. Despite the
upswing in public attention to AI, we see no evidence that
the Government of Indonesia (GOI) has begun implementing its
AI response plan. The Coordinating Ministry for People's
Welfare has begun planning to establish a GOI AI "command
center" but this entity is not yet official. In addition,
the Ministry of Agriculture has not shown any intention to
assist the provinces, either organizationally or
financially, in their efforts to combat AI in birds.
PASCOE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EAP/IET, A/MED AND S/ES-O
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/BILL STEIGER AND AMAR BHAT
PARIS FOR FAS/AG MINISTER COUNSELOR
CANBERRA FOR APHIS/DHANNAPEL
ROME FOR FAO
NSC FOR JMELINE
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO, AMED, CASC, EAGR, AMGT, PGOV, ID, KFLU
SUBJECT:INDONESIA - FEBRUARY 21 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE
REF: Jakarta 2177 and previous
JAKARTA 00002403 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Summary. Authorities in several Indonesian
provinces have announced actions to control Avian Influenza
(AI) in birds, including door-to-door inspections, culling
and vaccinations, according to press reports. The total
number of confirmed human AI cases in Indonesia has risen to
27, with 19 deaths, indicating a mortality rate of 70
percent. NAMRU2 scientists believe there may be larger
numbers of mild or asymptomatic human AI cases that are not
being reported to health authorities. End Summary.
2. (U) Since we transmitted reftel, the Indonesian press has
reported announcements by several provincial or city
authorities to control AI in birds. Jakarta authorities
reportedly plan to send a 600-person team to "scour"
residential areas starting February 24, testing birds for
AI. Their plan is to kill all birds within a one-kilometer
radius of sick birds and vaccinate all birds within an
additional three kilometers. The authorities plan to
reimburse bird owners 10,000 rupiah (about 1 US dollar) per
bird. However, according to February 23 press reports,
Jakarta authorities will take 2-3 days to "fully verify"
that birds are infected before beginning culling. (Note:
The 600-person team will operate within Jakarta city limits
only, and will not cover the suburbs east, west, and south
of Jakarta where many of the human AI cases have originated.
These suburbs lie in Banten and West Java province. End
Note.) Provincial officials in West and Central Java have
reportedly bemoaned lack of resources to carry out
inspections and vaccinations of birds in these densely
populated areas.
Human AI Case Profile
--------------
3. (U) NAMRU-2 data indicates the following AI-related case
profile as of February 22.
-- Number of laboratory confirmed (positive PCR and/or
serology) human AI cases: 27, of which 19 have been fatal
(fatality rate of 70 percent).
-- Number of probable AI cases: 5, with 4 deaths (fatality
rate of 80 percent).
-- Number of cases awaiting verification by the US CDC: 1.
-- Number of possible AI cases under investigation:
approximately 28.
-- Number of excluded AI cases: 193.
4. (U) NAMRU-2 surmises that there may be significant
numbers of mild or asymptomatic cases of AI in humans in
Indonesia that are not being reported to health authorities.
The cases that are brought to the attention of hospitals are
usually those in which the disease is advanced. Patients
generally report to the hospital at day 5-7 of illnesses, a
fact that may explain the high fatality rate of AI in
Indonesia.
JAKARTA 00002403 002.2 OF 002
5. (SBU) Comment: The number of stories about AI in the
Indonesian press has increased noticeably in recent weeks,
probably due to the rise in the number of human AI cases in
January and February, and to the increased cases of AI world
wide. The Jakarta city government's decision to begin a
more organized culling and vaccination program is good news,
but more forceful follow up actions will be needed to
control AI among poultry in the capital. Despite the
upswing in public attention to AI, we see no evidence that
the Government of Indonesia (GOI) has begun implementing its
AI response plan. The Coordinating Ministry for People's
Welfare has begun planning to establish a GOI AI "command
center" but this entity is not yet official. In addition,
the Ministry of Agriculture has not shown any intention to
assist the provinces, either organizationally or
financially, in their efforts to combat AI in birds.
PASCOE