AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT FEBRUARY 02

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000489

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE
DEPT FOR OES/IHA COMELLA
DEPT FOR EAP/J
USDA PASS TO APHIS
HHS PASS TO CDC
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, BHAT AND ELVANDER
DEPT PASS TO AID/GH/HIDN DENNIS CARROLL

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI JA
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT FEBRUARY 02

REF: A. 05 STATE 153802

B. TOKYO 353 AND PREVIOUS

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1. No human outbreaks of H5N1 AI were reported in Japan during the
period from January 25 to February 02.

-- MHLW drafts guidelines for pandemic influenza --


2. On January 19, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW)
submitted to an advisory panel draft guidelines on measures to be
taken in the event of an outbreak of pandemic influenza (PI) that
can be transmitted from human to human. The guidelines cover 12
areas: 1) immediate response strategies at the early stage of a PI
outbreak, 2) epidemiological studies, 3)quarantines, 4)
countermeasures for companies, 5) countermeasures for households,
communities and local governments, 6) cremations and burials, 7)
surveillance studies, 8) medical systems, 9) countermeasures to
prevent infection at medical institutions, 10) diagnostic
examinations at medical institutions, 11) vaccinations and
anti-viral drugs, and 12) risk communications. The advisory panel's
report was released for public comment on January 31 and is due to
be finalized by the end of March.


3. The MHLW guidelines instruct local governments to respond
quickly to quarantine those infected by PI and to inoculate with
anti-viral drugs and restrict the movement of family members and
coworkers. Within 72 hours, local governments should decide whether
to restrict movement to affected areas, in coordination with the
central government. The guidelines concede that blocking off
affected areas may not always be possible, especially in large
cities.


4. Companies will be requested to take preemptive measures to limit
the spread of PI. Examples of these measures include setting up
specialized sections to address the issue and improving their
telecommuting systems. In the event of a PI outbreak, companies
will be urged to avoid unnecessary meetings, employ
teleconferencing, and consider evacuation of employees working in
affected countries. Households will be asked to be prepared by
stocking enough food for two weeks and to avoid leaving home in the
event of an outbreak. Local governments will be requested to
prepare food for individuals who are not allowed or unable to leave
their homes.


-- Third Suspected AI Outbreak in Miyazaki -


5. On January 30, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries (MAFF) and the Miyazaki Prefectural Government announced
that an avian influenza (AI) outbreak is suspected at a poultry farm
in the town of Shimtomi, Miyazaki Prefecture. This follows two
confirmed cases of AI in Miyazaki Prefecture and one in Okayama
Prefecture earlier this month. As of February 1, 316 chickens were
reported to have died on the farm. A preliminary test on 13
chickens indicated that seven were positive for avian influenza. On
February 1, MAFF confirmed that the virus was the H5 type. However,
the National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH) in Tsukuba is
continuing to investigate the specific strain of the virus. The
Miyazaki government has restricted movement of chickens and eggs at
100 farms within a 10-kilometer radius of the affected farm, and has
begun culling the remaining 93,000 chickens.

-- AI Outbreak in Okayama Confirmed to be H5N1--


6. On January 31, MAFF announced that the H5N1 strain of avian
influenza was detected in samples taken from dead chickens at a farm
in Takahashi City of Okayama Prefecture in western Japan. The
outbreak in Okayama was Japan's third this year involving the H5N1
strain. The farm has already been sterilized and the remaining
12,000 chickens have been culled. The Okayama Government tested
chickens at 18 other farms located within 10-kilometers of the
affected farm, but no new AI cases were discovered.

-- AI Outbreak in Hyuga, Miyazaki Update --


7. On January 27, MAFF confirmed that the avian influenza outbreak

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in the town of Hyuga, Miyazaki Prefecture, initially reported on
January 23, was caused by the H5N1 virus. The Miyazaki Government is
investigating 11 other poultry farms within a 10-kilometer radius of
the affected farm. The Ministry of Environment has begun an
investigation into the source of the virus by examining wild birds.


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