AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT FEBRUARY 08

UNCLAS TOKYO 000597 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 08 REF: A. 05 STATE 153802 ¶B. TOKYO 489 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. No human outbreaks of H5N1 AI were reported in Japan during the period from February 02 to 08 -- Update on AI Outbreak in Shintomi, Miyazaki - ¶2. On February 3, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) confirmed that the avian influenza outbreak in the town of Shintomi, Miyazaki Prefecture, initially reported on January 30, was caused by the H5N1 virus. All four AI outbreaks since January have now been confirmed to have been caused by the H5N1 virus. MAFF will conduct further DNA analysis of the viruses to find relationship among the cases. -- GOJ Conducts AI Drill -- ¶3. On February 5, 20 ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW),conducted an exercise to respond to a human outbreak of pandemic influenza. The Tokushima Prefecture Government also joined the drill. The drill was conducted based on a scenario in which 1) the WHO raised its warning level to phase 4 (outbreak of human-to human infection) and 2) an individual returning to Tokushima Prefecture from abroad showed symptoms of pandemic influenza. An interagency council on avian influenza, organized by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, engaged in the exercise, which required participants to respond to a set of prepared problems given an ever-changing flow of information. As part of the exercise, the hypothetical patient was transferred from his home in Tokushima to a negative pressure room at Tokushima Central Hospital, where doctors took samples from his throat. Meanwhile, officials of a local health center interviewed his family members on their health condition. -- Importation of UK Chickens to Stop -- ¶4. In response to the recent outbreak of avian influenza in the United Kingdom, MAFF announced to suspend imports of live poultry and poultry meat and guts from the UK on February 3. Japan imported 161,530 live poultry from the UK in 2006. SCHIEFFER