JORDAN REPORTS 150 H1N1 INFLUENZA CASES

UNCLAS AMMAN 001977 STATE FOR G/AIAG (WINN),OES/IHB, ECA, M/MED, NEA/RA STATE PASS USAID FOR GLOBAL HEALTH USDA FOR APHIS GENEVA FOR WHO REPRESENTATIVE USUN ROME FOR FAO SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AEMR ASEC CASC PREL PINR AMGT KFLU KFLO KSAF KPAO, JO SUBJECT: JORDAN REPORTS 150 H1N1 INFLUENZA CASES REF: A. Amman 1399 ¶B. State 63491 ¶1. Jordan has reported a total of 150 H1N1 cases as of August 27. Most cases have been concentrated in the metropolitan Amman area. The first H1N1 case reported outside the Amman area was a Saudi man studying at Mu'tah University in the Karak area. ¶2. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has instituted several preventive measures against the H1N1 epidemic, which include increased coordination with the Ministry of Education's school outreach campaign. Jordanian Minister of Education Waleed Al-Ma'ani announced on August 19 that the ministry will distribute approximately 1.5 million brochures to schoolchildren to raise H1N1 awareness. There will also be special morning announcements in the schools regarding H1N1 prevention and preparedness. This outreach campaign is supported by a public private partnership with technical assistance from the USAID/John Hopkins Health Communication Partnership (JHCP). Additionally, the H1N1 National Steering Committee issued a new school policy in case of identified H1N1 cases: if one student is detected with H1N1, the classroom will be closed and all students from that class sent home; if H1N1 is detected in several students in different classes at the same school, the facility will be closed for one week. ¶3. The Jordanian media reported Minister of Health Nayef Al-Fayez's announcement of new instructions received from Saudi Arabia related to the mid-November Hajj pilgrimage. The instructions ban pregnant women, the elderly, children, and people with chronic diseases from performing the pilgrimage, and dictate the need to present a clean bill of health certificate to the Saudi authorities upon arrival to Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims are advised to take the currently available seasonal flu vaccine as a precautionary procedure before they leave Jordan. The MOH has awarded tenders to two companies that produce the H1N1 flu vaccine to provide Jordan with 62,000 vaccines when available. If received in time, pilgrims heading for Saudi Arabia for the Hajj will receive these vaccines. Visit Amman's Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman BEECROFT