AVIAN INFLUENZA FRANCE UPDATE -

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001734 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/AVIAN INFLUENZA ACTION GROUP, OES/IHA, EUR/WE, CA, CA/OCS HHS FOR INTERNATIONAL BUDASHEWITZ USDA FOR ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL USDA FOR FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS CDC FOR DR. NANCY COX HOMELAND SECURITY FOR OIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU TBIO CASC AMGT FR SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA FRANCE UPDATE - 3/17/06 REF: (A) Paris 1144 (B) Paris 1523 and previous -------------- Animals -------------- ¶1. As of 3/17, French authorities report no new cases of the H5N1 in domestic poultry since the sole case confirmed on 2/25 in a farm at Versailleux in Ain `departement'. 11,000 turkeys were culled (refs A and B). Since initial detection in a wild duck on 2/18, H5N1 has been found in 34 wild birds in two continental French departements: Ain and Bouches-du-Rhone. ¶2. Vaccination/confinement: The GOF has extended confinement of poultry to all continental French departements. Following the EU `green light,' vaccination of 900,000 geese and ducks in three French departements where confinement is not possible began on 2/27. ¶3. Culling: Confronted with `unsaleable' poultry, most farmers in the security zone around the contaminated farm at Versailleux decided to cull and incinerate production. The destruction of up to 950,000 domestic fowl began on 3/14. The government earmarked three million euros to compensate and finance the operation. ¶4. Quarantine: Poultry sales from Ain departement should restart shortly following the 21-day moratorium on sales of poultry products. ¶5. Consumption: Poultry consumption which dropped 30 percent at end-February, has returned to a more limited decline of 10-15 percent by mid- March. -------------- HHS/Institut Pasteur Collaborate -------------- ¶6. HHS A/S for Public Health Emergency Preparedness Simonson led a delegation of HHS, NIH, and CDC influenza experts to Institut Pasteur Paris headquarters 3/9-10 to initiate planning on enhancing AI surveillance/capacity in Pasteur's affiliate institutes in SE Asia and possibly Africa. The basis for this cooperation is contained in an MOU signed on 2/6/06 between HHS DepSec Azar and Pasteur President Dautry. -------------- French National AI Exercise Postponed -------------- ¶7. The AI national exercise scheduled for 3/15-16 to test the GOF Avian Flu National Plan was postponed. WHO, FAO, and World Organization for Animal Health and U.K., German, Australian, and U.S. embassies had agreed to participate, together with the French Health and Interior Ministries. The next possible date for the exercise is 3/27- ¶28. -------------- AI Fatigue? -------------- ¶8. According to a 3/13 poll, 70% of the 1000 persons above 18 polled consider there is "too much hype" surrounding AI in France. Yet, 25% consider that politicians and media are right to inform the public. Asked how to support poultry farmers hit by the crisis, 69% said the best thing to do is to encourage everyone to eat poultry, while 15 percent recommend financial aid to poultry farmers. STAPLETON