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. -------------- TANGERANG LAUNCHES PUBLIC CAMPAIGN -------------- ¶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. -------------- PROJECT MOVES FORWARD; EXPANDS ITS ROLE -------------- ¶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. -------------- AI CASE UPDATE -------------- ¶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