BURMESE AUTHORITIES RESPOND TO NEW AI CASES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000304

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: BURMESE AUTHORITIES RESPOND TO NEW AI CASES

REF: A. RANGOON 287

B. RANGOON 284

C. RANGOON 274

RANGOON 00000304 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary: On March 21, after PCR testing, the
Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) publicly
confirmed a March 18 outbreak of AI at a poultry farm in
Rangoon Division (ref A). The GOB imposed stricter controls
on the movement of people and poultry-related products in a
six-kilometer radius around the recent outbreak sites, and
into the nearby major poultry production area. No suspected
human cases have been reported to date. Coordination has
improved within the GOB, but the lack of a compensation
scheme and weak biosecurity controls remain concerns. End
summary.

Update on Recent Outbreak
--------------


2. (SBU) On March 21, the Livestock and Breeding Veterinary
Department (LBVD) summarized the recent AI outbreak in
poultry in the government newspaper. Outbreaks and culling
occurred from February 28 through March 18 at four poultry
farms in Rangoon Division. AI was suspected, but not
confirmed, at a fifth, so authorities culled all poultry as a
precautionary measure. Poultry die-offs included 1,863
chickens, guinea fowl, and quail. Officials destroyed the
remaining 37,883 poultry, including ducks, on the affected
farms. LBVD destroyed poultry at two additional farms as a
control measure. Suspected sources of the infection include
the sale of infected quail meat from a farm in one Rangoon
Township, the use of contaminated egg trays or feed sacks, or
visits to the farms of people from local bird markets.
UNICEF has begun to tailor public education materials to
address specific concerns, such as proper disinfection of egg
trays. The GOB has reported no suspected human cases to date.



3. (SBU) The LBVD Director General confirmed that his lab
staff continues to "trace backward" from the farms to find
the source of the virus, as recommended by FAO. He also
noted that the GOB policy of "Early Detection, Early
Protection, Early Prevention" can sometimes lead to actions
taken with incomplete information. For example, after a
poultry die-off, LBVD reacted quickly to cull flocks,
sometimes before receiving PCR confirmation of AI. The task
is made more difficult, he said, because of the lack of
resources to compensate affected farmers. The LBVD does its
best to re-supply the farmers with new stock, but does not
have any other compensation plan.

Authorities Coordinate Better
--------------


4. (SBU) The LBVD DG said that the GOB would expand the ban
on the movement of poultry-related products to include people
and vehicles traveling to and from the affected areas. The
GOB had also enlarged the control area to protect major
poultry producers located north of the outbreaks. He noted
that Rangoon Division administration officials assisted in
maintaining the control and restricted zones. Enforcing the
restrictions would not be possible without the support of
Rangoon military and civilian authorities, he said, who asked
for briefings and have participated in response activities.


5. (SBU) Our WHO and FAO contacts report that internal GOB
coordination has improved. LBVD now updates Ministry of
Health officials directly, and the GOB's daily AI meetings

RANGOON 00000304 002.2 OF 002


now include representatives of all government bodies and are
chaired by Lt. General Myint Swe, not the Rangoon Division
Commander. LBVD officials report that they receive regular
inquiries and cooperation from higher authorities on steps
necessary to contain the outbreak.


6. (SBU) FAO Country Director Tang Zhengping told us that he
supported the control zones, but said they must be
demarcated, patrolled and enforced more effectively,
including added restrictions on the movement of people and
vehicles. On March 22, Tang and the LBVD DG opened the first
of two FAO-sponsored workshops for division-level
veterinarians on "Biosecurity for Poultry Producers," led by
FAO expert Larry Allen. In his opening speech, the LBVD DG
said that the official reaction to last year's outbreak was
too harsh on poultry producers and could have threatened food
safety and food security. For these reasons, the official
response to the current outbreak is more systematic, in an
attempt to avoid the "extreme failure" of the poultry sector.
The focus of activities now, he said, is on biosecurity, to
minimize the infection load.


7. (SBU) Tests at the Thai National Institute for Animal
Health labs confirmed that two crows from Burma were positive
for AI. The GOB has not announced this publicly, but the DG
said that they understood the crows could be carriers, or
were infected from eating AI-contaminated poultry. The LBVD
observed no crow deaths near the site of the most recent
outbreak. On March 21, the government newspaper warned of
the possibility of future outbreaks, and urged greater
awareness of poultry farmers.
VILLAROSA