INDONESIA - MAY 23 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001021

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG, L/DL, EAP/EX, AND OES/IHA
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN
USDA/FAS/OSTA BRANT, ROSENBLUM
USDA/APHIS ANNELLI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO EAGR AMGT PGOV ID KLIG
SUBJECT: INDONESIA - MAY 23 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE



1. (SBU) Summary. At a May 13-14 Tangerang Trilateral technical
meeting, Tangerang local and district health and veterinary
officials reported on current activities, including a launch of a
public awareness campaign to stop the spread of bird flu. Tangerang
authorities will conduct a USDA-funded baseline survey beginning in
early June. On May 22, the Tangerang Trilateral Project and the
National Committee on Avian Influenza (KOMNAS) hosted a meeting to
map activities of approximately ten stakeholders working in
Tangerang Municipality. Indonesia currently reports 135 human avian
influenza cases with 110 deaths.

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TANGERANG LAUNCHES PUBLIC CAMPAIGN
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2. (U) At a May 13-14 technical meeting, Tangerang animal and human
health officials committed to public awareness campaigns, including
radio and local television spots to educate the public about avian
influenza. Representatives included officials from the National
Committee for Avian Influenza (KOMNAS),the Eijkman Institute,
Indonesian veterinary schools in Bali and Yogyakarta, the
Singaporean Ministry of Health (MOH),the Regional Emerging Disease
Intervention (REDI) Centre, and the United Nation's Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO.


3. (U) The Jakarta Post reported on May 16 that Tangerang officials
launched a public awareness campaign to prevent the spread of avian
influenza. In addition to public service announcements, Tangerang
authorities placed posters and banners in public spaces such as
schools, mosques, and shops.

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PROJECT MOVES FORWARD; EXPANDS ITS ROLE
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4. (SBU) Tangerang authorities are launching the USDA-funded
baseline study in early June that will survey approximately 7,200
households in Tangerang. Over 80 trained personnel will collect
data using a knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) questionnaire
and a global positioning system (GPS) to map key sites such as
poultry farms and collecting houses, hospitals, and households of
reported AI cases.


5. (SBU) Following a request from KOMNAS, the Tangerang Trilateral
project assumed responsibilities for coordinating activities of all
organizations working in Tangerang District and Municipality. KOMNAS
and the Trilateral Tangerang Project staff held a meeting on May 22
with approximately ten organizations working in the municipality to
accurately map activities. Officials are planning a similar meeting
for May 26 with stakeholders working in the District.

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AI CASE UPDATE
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6. (SBU) Litbangkes confirmed two more human cases of avian
influenza, including a 16 year-old female from South Jakarta and a
54 year-old female from Sumedang, West Java. Current Indonesia
human avian influenza case counts are now 135 cases with 110 deaths.
Despite recent mass die off of poultry in East Sulawesi, Litbangkes
reports that the cluster of suspect human cases from East Sulawesi
are negative.

HEFFERN