BURMA: NO NEW AI OUTBREAKS, SOURCE STILL UNCLEAR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000247 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, G/AIAG; PACOM FOR FPA; USDA FOR FAS/PECAD, FAS/CNMP, FAS/AAD, APHIS; BANGKOK FOR USAID:JMACARTHUR),APHIS:NCARDENAS, REO:JWALLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID AMED PGOV PREL CASC TBIO KFLU BM SUBJECT: BURMA: NO NEW AI OUTBREAKS, SOURCE STILL UNCLEAR REF: A. RANGOON 232 ¶B. RANGOON 228 ¶C. RANGOON 221 ¶D. RANGOON 212 RANGOON 00000247 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) The GOB has reported no new cases of AI in poultry since March 2, and has reported no human cases. USAID and FAO specialists from Bangkok joined Burmese technicians in their central lab on March 7, and made a field trip to affected sites on March 8. Lab personnel in Burma have not identified the source of the recent AI outbreak in poultry nor the cause of the high number of wild bird deaths in Rangoon. The Thai government agreed to accept AI virus samples from Burma for gene sequencing, and also will test dead crows for other viruses. Officials continue to coordinate closely with UN agencies and international experts. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Officials have not reported any new cases of AI in poultry since March 2, nor any human cases under observation. Government media continues to report on the deaths of crows, pigeons, mynahs, and other wild birds, but add that the dead wild birds show no signs of avian flu. Cumulative Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) figures for affected poultry and wild birds deaths as of March 6 are: - Commercial layers destroyed: 1,445, found dead: 82; - Backyard chickens destroyed: 63, found dead: 7; - Commercial ducks destroyed: 442; - Backyard ducks destroyed 8, found dead: 5; - Crows found dead: 85; - Pigeons found dead: 21; - Sparrows found dead: 7; - Others (including quail and mynahs) found dead: 6. ¶3. (SBU) On March 8, USAID Bangkok Animal Health Advisor Dr. Sudarat Damrongwatanapokin assessed lab actions to date, based on her work in the central lab and meetings with LBVD officials. Contrary to earlier LBVD reports, Sudarat said that lab technicians had confirmed the four announced cases of AI with both Rapid Test Kits (RTKs) and PCR testing, but had carried out viral isolation testing only on specimens from the initial outbreak site in Mayangone Township. She noted that authorities announced in the press that results were positive from testing, but did not state that AI was confirmed, because they had not carried out virus isolation. Sudarat explained to them that RTK and PCR testing was sufficient to confirm AI infection. ¶4. (SBU) Sudarat also encouraged LBVD officials to carry out more virus isolation tests in order to determine the origin of the outbreak. She said that the Thai government had given permission for her and Dr. Wantanee from FAO to carry samples of the virus back to Bangkok for further testing and gene sequencing. ¶5. (SBU) LBVD officials told Sudarat that since the outbreak, Rangoon residents had delivered over 20 dead wild birds per day to their facilities. Sudarat reported that RTK and PCR tests on wild birds have all been negative for AI. Lab technicians also tested the wild birds for the presence of pesticides and insecticides as possible sources of the fatalities, but those tests also returned negative results. Sudarat will carry samples from the wild birds back to Bangkok for further tests to determine the cause of the die-offs. She also advised lab personnel to check for parasites. RANGOON 00000247 002.2 OF 002 ¶6. (SBU) Sudarat said LBVD officials expressed concern about the implementation of rapid safe disposal techniques, and FAO offered to assist. She noted the need to dispose not only of the bird carcasses but also general safe garbage disposal as necessary to reduce the number of crows in Rangoon and the potential spread of disease. GOB officials have continued to cooperate with UN agencies, as well as Embassy and USAID representatives throughout the outbreak. VILLAROSA