JAPAN AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001214 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE DEPT FOR OES/IHA COMELLA DEPT FOR EAP/J DRESSER USDA PASS TO APHIS HHS PASS TO CDC HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER AND HICKEY DEPT PASS TO AID/GH/HIDN DENNIS CARROLL SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI CASC JA SUBJECT: JAPAN AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE REF: A. 05 STATE 153802 ¶B. 08 TOKYO 882 AND PREVIOUS ¶C. 06 TOKYO 2135 ¶D. 08 SAPPORO 0031 TOKYO 00001214 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. No human outbreaks of H5N1 Avian Influenza (AI) were reported in Japan during the period of April 18 to May 2, 2008. H5N1 Detected in Wild Swans in Northern Japan -------------- ¶2. As reported in ref D, Japan's National Institute of Animal Health confirmed H5N1 avian influenza (AI) was detected in three dead swans and one dying swan found near Lake Towada in Akita Prefecture April 21. It is the first report of the H5N1 virus in Japan since March 2007 when the virus was found in a wild eagle in Kumamto Prefecture in Kyushu. A dead swan found April 24 in northeastern Hokkaido has tested preliminarily positive for avian influenza, according to May 1 press reports. Hokkaido University is conducting tests to determine whether the virus is also the highly-pathogenic H5N1 strain. ¶3. The H5N1 avian influenza has previously appeared mainly in western Japan, where migrant birds are believed to have brought the virus from the Korean peninsula. However, according to press reports citing statements by Dr. Koichi Ohtsuki, Director of the AI Research Center at Kyoto Sangyo University, the recent cases in northern Japan may have been the results of infection by other waterfowl that migrate via the northern route to and from Russia and northeast China. Imports of Danish Poultry Suspended -------------- ¶4. On April 30, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced suspension of imports of Danish poultry and eggs after Denmark reported to the OIE a case of non-highly-pathogenic H7N1 avian influenza. MAFF is currently requesting detailed information on the case from the Danish Government. According to MAFF, Japan imported 20 tons of poultry meat and 515 tons of eggs in 2007 from Denmark. GOJ Revises Laws on Infectious Diseases and Quarantine -------------- -------------- ¶5. On April 25, the Diet passed a bill to revise both the Infectious Disease Law and Quarantine Law to be able to respond more effectively to a potential pandemic influenza outbreak. This is the first time the GOJ has included provisions fro activities on an infectious disease that has not yet emerged. The current Infectious Disease Law divides diseases into five categories. The new law creates a new category specifically for pandemic influenza. In this new category, pandemic influenza is likely to be treated as one of the most serious Category I infectious diseases, i.e. Ebola, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, smallpox, South American hemorrhagic fever, plague, Marburg disease, and Lassa fever. ¶6. In 2006, the GOJ designated H5N1 AI as a "government-decreed" infectious disease for a period of two years. When this designation expires in June 2008, the new law will assign H5N1 AI to Category II, which includes acute anterior poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and SARS. ¶7. The new law requires the government to report a pandemic influenza outbreak in Japan to the public through newspapers, television, and the Internet. The legislation gives the GOJ legal grounds to take prompt action, including measures at the border, in response to pandemic influenza. Prefectural governors will be authorized to force individuals who are infected, or suspected to be infected with pandemic influenza to remain at home or at other facilities. In an emergency, quarantine authorities will be authorized to designate sites other than hospitals and clinics, e.g. TOKYO 00001214 002.2 OF 002 hotels, as quarantine facilities. ¶8. An additional clause of the new law encourages the GOJ to promote R&D for pharmaceutical interventions for pandemic influenza, such as vaccines, and to promote approval for the manufacturing and sales of the products. The new law also encourages the GOJ to stockpile necessary amounts of antiviral drugs and prepandemic vaccine. DONOVAN