NORWAY AVIAN FLU RESPONSE UPDATE

UNCLAS OSLO 000237

SIPDIS


ASUNCION FOR DCM JOHNSON
STOCKHOLM FOR FAS THURSLAND

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAGR TBIO KFLU NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY AVIAN FLU RESPONSE UPDATE

REF: A. OSLO 1571


B. OSLO 1722


1. (U) Effective February 15, 2006, the Norwegian Food Safety
Authority has reinstated (reftel A) a ban on open air poultry
farming in eight counties in southern Norway. The move comes
in response to the discovery of H5N1 infected birds in Rugen,
Germany. Officials are preparing for the virus' eventual
arrival in Norway as wild birds migrate north. Norwegian
veterinary authorities are increasing their monitoring and
inspection regimens and the public has been asked to assist
by reporting sightings of sick or deceased wild birds.
Public health authorities have released a pandemic action
plan that details Norway's response to a potential pandemic.


2. (U) Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture officials stressed
that the illness is currently confined to wild birds and that
while migratory birds will likely bring the virus to Norway,
the Ministry is working to limit potential spread of the
virus to domestic foul by increasing blood testing for
domestic poultry and closely monitoring the progress of the
disease. Should domestic poultry be affected, the Norwegian
government plans to compensate poultry farmers for any
required culling. The majority of Norwegian poultry farms
are concentrated in the southern third of the country.
According to press reports, one dead swan was found in Oslo
fjord on Wednesday but tests indicated that it did not have
avian flu.


3. (U) On February 16, 2006, the Norwegian government
published its Plan for Prevention and Measures for Combating
Avian Flu. The plan had been in development for several
months and was scheduled for release this week. In a news
conference unveiling the document, Norwegian Minister of
Agriculture and Food Terje Riis Johansen said that the avian
flu virus is closing in on Norway but is not yet a critical
problem. The plan includes measures to prevent infection,
treat infected persons, and it defines response roles among
public authorities should an outbreak occur. The plan is
available (in Norwegian) at
http://odin.dep.no/hod/norsk/048071-070109/do k-bn.html. As
reported earlier (refs a and b) Norway plans to broadly
distribute anti-viral drugs and vaccines using the Norwegian
national health system. Norway assumes a 30 percent
infection rate should a pandemic become a reality and has
plans to distribute treatment regimens to 1.4 million of its
4.5 million population. Norwegian health authorities have
the power to impose quarantines, limit public events, and
restrict travel in the event of a pandemic.
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