AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE - POULTRY OUTBREAK IN HANOI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000452 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AIAG, EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, OES/IHA, MED STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (WSTIEGER, DBELL AND ABHAT) STATE PASS TO CDC (NCOX AND AMOHEN) USDA PASS TO APHIS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN) BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID (JMACARTHUR AND MBRADY) ROME FOR FAO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR SOCI VM SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE - POULTRY OUTBREAK IN HANOI REF: HANOI 373 AND PREVIOUS HANOI 00000452 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) Summary: Vietnam has experienced four poultry outbreaks since February 13. The Government of Vietnam (GVN) has now confirmed that H5N1 was the cause of two poultry outbreaks on farms in one of Hanoi's rural communes. Earlier this week, a poultry outbreak occurred at a farm in Ha Tay Province, located directly west of Hanoi. On February 27, northern Vietnam's first poultry outbreak in 2007 occurred in Hai Duong province, east of Hanoi (reftel). An outbreak of 800 ducks occurred in Vinh Long Province in the Mekong Delta on March 1. On March 5, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) announced new regulations on the hatching and breeding water fowl. According to MARD's regulations, breeding can resume on March 15. MARD has sent a technical team to support the Government of Laos to help contain AI. Embassy Hanoi MEDOFF visited Vientiane this week to offer support to the Embassy community. End Summary. ¶2. (U) There have been no confirmed H5N1 AI human cases in Vietnam this year and none reported in 2006. Two More Poultry Outbreaks In North - Including Hanoi -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) On March 7, the Department of Animal Health (DAH) and state media reported that 1,300 chickens died on two farms in Kim Chung commune, Dong Anh District of Hanoi on March 4. Roughly 1,150 of these birds had symptoms of H5N1. According to CNN, several chicks died suddenly on two farms in the rural district of Dong Anh on Sunday. Hoang Gia Tuc, director of the District's animal health station, reports that authorities have slaughtered the remaining 1,950 chicks. None of the chicks, aged 10 to 20 days old, were vaccinated. ¶4. (U) On March 5, Ha Tay provincial authorities announced that chickens on a farm in Cang Nau Commune located 20 kilometers southwest of Hanoi died of unknown causes and that all of the farm's 550 chickens were culled on February 27. H5N1 was later confirmed to be the cause of death in the flock 550 unvaccinated chickens. Officials contend that Hay Tay Province is the largest poultry supplier to Hanoi. ¶5. (U) Last week, northern Vietnam's first poultry outbreak occurred in Hai Duong province, east of Hanoi (reftel). According to FAO, DAH received reports on February 27 of AI in a chicken farm in Doan Tung Commune, Thanh Mien District in Hai Duong Province. The flock of 10,500 chickens were also unvaccinated. The onset date was February 14. A total of 6,000 chickens died. The farm's operations were "high-risk" as poultry from many sources were being gathered together to sell to the market. Laboratory confirmation was made by Hai Phong Veterinary Center on February 18 and reconfirmed by the National Center for Veterinary Diagnostics in Hanoi on February 23. Notably, neither Ha Tay nor Hai Duong Provinces witnessed AI poultry outbreaks in 2006. A separate potential H5N1 poultry die-off in Quang Ninh Province, which borders China, has yet to be confirmed. New Poultry Outbreak In Mekong Delta -------------- ¶6. (U) After the successful containment of H5N1 poultry outbreaks throughout the Mekong Delta, a new outbreak occurred in Vinh Long Province on March 1. The 800 infected and previously unvaccinated ducklings were reportedly transported from Soc Trang Province to Tra On District, Vinh Long Province. As standard procedure after a HANOI 00000452 002.2 OF 002 poultry outbreak, all poultry on-site were culled and the farm has been decontaminated. MARD Lifts Ban on Hatching and Breeding Waterfowl -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) On March 5, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) announced new regulations on the hatching and breeding water fowl. According to MARD's regulations, breeding can resume on March ¶15. The new regulations stipulate certain sanitary conditions as a prerequisite for the resumption of commercial breeding (reftel). ...And Helps Neighboring Laos -------------- ¶8. (U) MARD has reportedly sent a technical delegation to Laos to support the Government of Laos's efforts to control AI poultry outbreaks in three of the country's seventeen provinces and provide surveillance training to health authorities following Laos' second confirmed H5N1 human death. Hanoi MEDOff Supports Embassy Vientiane -------------- ¶9. (U) From March 5 to 7, Embassy's MEDOff traveled to support Embassy Vientiane. MEDOff participated in an EAC meeting, conducted an open forum for Embassy Laos staff, families and the head of the international school, and had consultations with CDC Country Representative. During the visit to Embassy Vientiane, MEDOff administered 12 flu vaccinations to staff. MARINE