VIETNAM AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE: NEW HUMAN FATALITY IN HA

UNCLAS HANOI 000319 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, OES/STC, OES/IHA, MED STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (STERN) HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO OGHA (WSTIEGER/LVALDEZ/CHICKEY/DMILLER) AND FIC/NIH (RGLASS) AND DIV-FLU (COX/MOHEN) CDC FOR COGH (SBLOUNT) AND CCID (SREDD) USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA),FSIS BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC (MALISON),USAID (MACARTHUR/MBRADY) BANGKOK FOR APHIS (NCARDENAS),REO (JWALLER) BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE (BROSS) PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR(BBRADY) ROME FOR FAO VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR (ACORWIN) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR KFLU VM SUBJECT: VIETNAM AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE: NEW HUMAN FATALITY IN HA NAM PROVINCE REF: A. HANOI 304 B. 07 HANOI 1147 ¶1. (SBU) The Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed the death of an 11-year old male adolescent from Liem Tiet Commune, Thanh Liem District, Ha Nam Province, approximately 40 kilometers south of Hanoi. The patient developed symptoms on March 4 after having contact with sick and dead poultry. According to the Department of Animal Health, the family flock began to die in early February and the family ate the surviving, but ill, chickens. He was hospitalized on March 9 and died on March 14. The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) confirmed the presence of H5N1 and MOH promptly notified the World Health Organization (WHO) (though we have heard reports from international health experts of notification and intervention delays within the Government of Vietnam). Samples taken by the Department of Animal Health from poultry in the vicinity also tested positive for H5N1. In June 2007, a 28-year old female farmer from the same commune died from H5N1 (ref B). Additionally, Government of Vietnam authorities recently confirmed separate ongoing animal outbreaks in Ha Nam province (ref A). Pending WHO verification, Vietnam now has suffered 106 human infections, with 52 fatalities, including the last 10 victims. ¶2. (U) Vietnamese officials continue to report ongoing animal outbreaks in 11 provinces scattered throughout the country, bringing the total to 14 affected provinces since the beginning of the year. Most recently, officials have confirmed poultry outbreaks in Lao Cai in the far north and Quang Nam and Quang Binh in the central region. In response, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung dispatched officials to several provinces to buttress local efforts, which he characterized to the media as inadequate and complacent. Michalak