Guangdong's Season for Sickness: Possibilities for

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 001279 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM, AIAG, OES/IHA, MED STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH CDC FOR OGHA AND DIV-FLU DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP HHS PASS TO FIC/NIH USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA),FSIS BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE AND RMO PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR KFLU SOCI CH SUBJECT: Guangdong's Season for Sickness: Possibilities for Infectious Disease Outbreaks REF: A. Guangzhou 0543; B. Guangzhou 1048; C. Guangzhou 1070; D. Guangzhou 1075 ¶1. (U) Summary: Findings from the December 8 Guangdong Department of Health conference on infectious disease outbreaks during the winter and spring seasons suggest that the risk of SARS is low, but there is the possibility for "sporadic" human avian influenza infection and/or reemergence of an animal plague epidemic. Conference experts promoted a four-fold prevention plan, involving forbidding the breeding, sales, and eating of wild animals; strengthening poultry vaccination; sharing information sharing and establishing joint prevention efforts between Guangdong's Agriculture and Health Departments; and increasing supervision of, and training in, area hospitals. End summary. -------------- -------------- Guangdong: A Possible Breeding Ground for Disease -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In Guangdong Province, a sub-tropical area along the Pearl River Delta, winter and spring represent especially vulnerable periods for the spread of respiratory infectious diseases. As a result, the Guangdong Department of Health held a conference to address the likelihood of the occurrence of infectious epidemics in the province, primarily SARS, human AI, and animal plagues. ¶3. (U) Experts concluded that Guangdong's risk of a SARS outbreak is lower than last year. There is the possibility of a reemergence of an animal plague epidemic, such as the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV),or porcine blue ear disease, which afflicted Guangdong pig farms earlier this year. Experts also confirm "sporadic" human AI infection, such as that witnessed this month in Jiangsu province, is possible but suggested that the risk of human-to-human transmission is limited. -------------- Prevention is the Best Policy -------------- ¶4. (U) Conference experts promoted a four-fold prevention plan. The first step involves strictly forbidding the breeding, sales, and eating of wild animals, including the civet cat, which was attributed to the SARS outbreak of 2002. The second step is to strengthen poultry vaccination, to which Guangdong's government has paid increasing attention in light of September's avian influenza outbreak. Third, experts suggested enhancing information sharing and joint prevention efforts between Guangdong's Agriculture and Health Departments. Lastly, the provincial government was encouraged to establish increased supervision of, and training in, area hospitals, especially with regard to handling reported pneumonia cases with unknown causes, an initial indicator of possible AI infection. ¶5. (U) Guangdong's Health Department currently engages in a number of respiratory infectious disease preventative measures. On a monthly basis, the Department collects approximately 50 samples from 1-2 poultry wholesale markets for AI and SARS testing. From January to April 2007, 205 samples were collected; all testing was negative for SARS. One sample tested positive for H5N1; samples from 10 nearby stalls were taken and tested negative. No poultry traders showed signs of health problems. ¶6. (U) In addition to collecting samples, the Department of Health plans to implement many of the preventative measures suggested by experts including the adoption of an "early detection, early reporting, early isolation and early treatment" policy. The Department also plans to enforce strict inspections of restaurants and markets that sell and serve civet cats and other wild animals, including Guangzhou's Qing Ping market, a location historically infamous for selling these at-risk delicacies. The provincial government will also extend information sharing beyond the Health GUANGZHOU 00001279 002 OF 002 and Agriculture Departments to the Forestry and Inspection and Quarantine Departments. Increasing public awareness of prevention and treatment options, as well as rapid response to outbreaks also remain focal points of the provincial government's ongoing strategy. GOLDBERG