INDONESIA - NOVEMBER 14 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002100

SIPDIS
UNCLASSIFIED

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
DEPT ALSO PASS TO DOJ for OFL
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 - NOVEMBER 14 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE


1. (SBU) Summary. Indonesia's media has alarmed international
press with reports of 17 likely hospitalized bird flu cases in
Makassar, but health experts are suggesting that these are more
likely cases of mild influenza-like illness (ILI) and pneumonia.
The Makassar hospital has sent samples to the National Institute of
Health Research and Development (NIHRD) for analysis. NIHRD
anticipates releasing results in two days. According to the Jakarta
office of the World Health Organization (WHO) NIHRD did confirm
another new case of avian influenza on November 12, but the Ministry
of Health has not officially announced the result for posting on the
WHO website. Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari traveled to the
United States on November 12 to be a featured speaker at the Seventh
International Bird Flu Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada. Supari's
ministry funded television show "enters its third rerun season. USG
agencies report on latest activities. End Summary.

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Makassar Cases and New H5N1 Death
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2. (SBU) Indonesia media has released reports that up to 17 patients
have been hospitalized in Makassar with suspected bird flu. The
media reports that preliminary rapid tests have confirmed H5N1 and
that poultry has been dying in the area. Sources within the World
Health Organization (WHO),Ministry of Health (MOH) and the district
are advising that rapid tests may have been done on some patients
for influenza A, and not H5N1. Only two of the 17 patients appear
to be experiencing fever at this time. Officials are speculating
that these cases appear to resemble influenza-like illness and not
H5N1, with several cases being pneumonia. The Makassar hospital has
sent samples for all patients to NIHRD for testing. NIHRD
anticipates releasing results in two days. Participatory
Disease/Response personnel in the area are culling fowl and
monitoring the situation closely.


3. (SBU) According to WHO sources, NIHRD confirmed on November 12, a
new fatal case of H5N1 from samples of a 15 year-old girl from
Semarang, Central Java. The girl died after four days of
hospitalization in Semarang. Although the Ministry of Health has
yet to announce the case publically for inclusion on the World
Health Organization website, MOH officials immediately notified the
WHO Jakarta office. However, press reports that Minister Supari is
publicly denying the case stating "Both of the laboratory tests
showed that she was negative of bird flu, so the total death toll
(of bird flu) remains 112."

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Supari in Vegas and on TV
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4. (U) Minister Supari traveled to Las Vegas on November 12 to
deliver a keynote address at the 7th International Bird Flu Summit.
The conference will take place on November 13 - 14, 2008, at the
Monte Carlo Resort and Casino Hotel, in South Las Vegas, Nevada.


5. (U) Minister Supari's television program "Chitchatting with Madam
Minister" has entered its third season of reruns. Started in June
2007, the show provides 13 episodes, all featuring Minister Supari
interacting with a live audience of housewives, students, or youth
groups. Each episode runs approximately one hour and aims at
educating the general public about health policies on such topics as
health insurance for the uninsured, health for hajj pilgrims,
sample sharing, heart disease, asthma, and infectious diseases.


6. (SBU) According to sources, MOH public outreach funds have
financed the series, with production costs running at $50,000 per
show. The show was conceived as a way to combat negative publicity
that the Minister was receiving in early 2007. Each show follows a
standard format that includes Minister Supari interacting with
expert guests (usually Director Generals from the MOH),followed by
a question and answer session, a quiz, and ending with entertainment
such as singing or dancing performed by the audience.
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Animal Health Activities
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7. (U) The USAID funded Community Based Avian Influenza Control

JAKARTA 00002100 002 OF 002


(CBAIC) Project is developing key messages for use by mass media and
stakeholders following a series of discussions from technical
partners and Indonesian officials. USAID and the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) plan to conduct a
decontamination campaign at key points in the poultry production and
marketing chain to minimize the spread of AI virus by the end of the
year.


8. (U) Approximately twenty Ministry of Agriculture (MOA)
auditors/inspectors completed a one week APHIS funded training
course to assess biosecurity status of commercial poultry farms.
Participating farms passing inspection receive "AI-free"
certificates good for two years issued by the MOA. APHIS also plans
to begin market interventions such as perimeter control in slaughter
houses and markets.

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Human Health Activities
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9. (SBU) CDC along with WHO and MOH are in the process of
implementing an early warning system for early outbreak detection
and response in Lampung province, Sumatra. The program will
expanded to Bali and Sulawesi provinces over the next six months.
CDC and WHO continue to work with the MOH on a follow-up simulation
exercise for epicenter containment in Sulawesi province in February

2009. The scenario will be different from the Bali exercise earlier
in the year and will emphasize testing operational guidelines in an
urban environment.


10. (SBU) NIHRD is finalizing documentation for renewal of its
cooperative agreement with CDC- Atlanta. NIHRD will use funds to
support influenza testing for patients with influenza-like illness
in a network of primary health care centers and patients with severe
acute respiratory illness in a network of eight hospitals. CDC
awarded funds to NIHRD through the REDI Center to conduct a
prospective cohort study of approximately 600 high risk (for H5N1
exposure) poultry workers from Tangerang municipality to begin in
January 2009.

HUME