HONG KONG/MACAU FLU UPDATE: REGIONAL MEETING,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 000511

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, AIAG, OES/IHA, MED
HHS FOR OGHA - STEIGER, HICKEY
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU EAGR CASC AMED AMGT PINR MO HK
SUBJECT: HONG KONG/MACAU FLU UPDATE: REGIONAL MEETING,
FEWER CHILD CASES

REF: A. HONG KONG 348

B. HONG KONG 370

C. HONG KONG 402

D. HONG KONG 470

E. GUANGZHOU 160


1. (U) Summary. Public health officials from Hong Kong, Macau
and Guangdong Province met in Hong Kong on March 17 to
discuss prevention and treatment of seasonal influenza
following recent developments in Hong Kong and the latest
poultry H5N1 outbreaks in Guangdong Province. Macau
Secretary for Social and Cultural Affairs Fernando Chui

SIPDIS
announced that Macau, while at second-degree alert level
against pandemic influenza, has not recorded a serious
influenza case this year and infection rates are unchanged
from 2007. In Hong Kong, infection rates in children are
falling following the March 13 primary school closure. The
Hong Kong Government is studying a mass child vaccination
plan for winter 2009. End Summary.


2. (U) Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong public health and
medical professionals held a meeting on March 17 to discuss
prevention and treatment of seasonal influenza following
recent developments in Hong Kong (reftel D) and the latest
H5N1 poultry outbreaks in Guangdong Province (reftel E).
Consistent with a 2005 Memorandum of Understanding between
the governments, the meeting focused on the exchange of
epidemiological and laboratory findings, as well as a
discussion of prevention and control measures Hong Kong is
carrying out.

Meeting participants included:

HONG KONG
Dr. S.K. Chuang, Consultant for Community Medicine, Centre
for Health Protection
Dr. W.L. Lim, Consultant in-charge of Pathology Service,
Department of Health
Dr. Liu Shao-haei, Chief Manager, Hospital Authority

GUANGDONG
Dr. Lin Jinyan, Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
Guangdong Province
Dr. He Jianfeng, Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
Guangdong Province

MACAU
Dr. Liu Kin-man, Pediatrician, Chief of Service of Pediatrics
and Neonatology, Health Bureau
Dr. Leung Iek-hou, Public Health Specialist, Health Authority
of the Control of Communicable Diseases and Surveillance,
Health Bureau


3. (U) Macau Secretary for Social and Cultural Affairs
Fernando Chui held a coordinating meeting of the Health
Bureau, Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, and Social
Welfare Bureau in the Macau Special Administrative Region on
March 13. Macau is at second-degree alert level against
pandemic influenza, but has not recorded a serious influenza
case this year. Secretary Chui noted that seasonal influenza
infection rates for adults and children are at the same
levels as in past years, and he is in close coordination with
his Hong Kong counterparts.


4. (U) Hong Kong Secretary of Health York Chow said March 17
that the number of children presenting at hospitals for flu
treatment is back to normal levels following the March 13
closure of primary schools. New measures to monitor severe
pediatric flu cases have identified twelve cases with no
additional fatalities since March 14. The Hong Kong
Government has begun study of a USD$12.5M plan to vaccinate

HONG KONG 00000511 002 OF 002


all Hong Kong children under age 11 for winter 2009, said
Chow.


5. (U) Post's point of contact is ESTH Officer Dawn Schrepel,
who can be reached at schrepeldm@state.gov, 852-2841-2104
(office) or 852-9154-4053 (mobile).
Cunningham