Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ATHENS835
2009-05-19 15:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Athens
Cable title:  

MGSF01: GREECE CONFIRMS FIRST CASE OF H1N1

Tags:  ASEC CASC KFLO KFLU AEMR TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR 
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VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTH #0835 1391320
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 191501Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0209
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS
UNCLAS ATHENS 000835 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC CASC KFLO KFLU AEMR TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, GR
SUBJECT: MGSF01: GREECE CONFIRMS FIRST CASE OF H1N1

REF: ATHENS 691

PASS TO USDA/FAS/OSTA

PASS TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

PASS TO CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL



UNCLAS ATHENS 000835

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC CASC KFLO KFLU AEMR TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, GR
SUBJECT: MGSF01: GREECE CONFIRMS FIRST CASE OF H1N1

REF: ATHENS 691

PASS TO USDA/FAS/OSTA

PASS TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

PASS TO CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL




1. (SBU) Contacts at the Hellenic National Health Operations
Center (EKEPY) told EconOff on May 19 that Greece has confirmed its
first case of H1N1 in a Greek who returned to Athens to New York on
Olympic Airlines flight #412 on Saturday, May 16. EKEPY confirmed
that the individual is studying in New York and did not travel to
Mexico. The patient showed mild clinical symptoms of the flu and
is presently hospitalized and under observation at Sismanoglio
hospital in Kifissia. The student and his family are all taking
courses of TamiFlu.




2. (SBU) The Pasteur Institute, designated as the reference
laboratory for the southern region of Greece, confirmed that the
patient's strain of flu is the H1N1 virus. The Pasteur Institute
had received a kit from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on
May 5 with the information required to determine the sequencing of
the virus to match up suspected cases.




3. (SBU) The Greek authorities are focusing their
investigation on a localized portion of the airplane, which
includes the patient's row, two rows in the front and two in the
back for a total of 40 passengers. EKEPY said they are contacting
these passengers to determine their exposure and plan to take all
precautionary measures to contain the spread of the H1N1 virus.




4. (SBU) Local press reports that Greek Health Minister
Dimitris Avramopoulos announced the confirmed case while attending
the World Health Organization's World Health Assembly in Geneva.
He assured his audience that all precautionary measures were being
taken in accordance with international and European regulations.
SPECKHARD