TFFLU01: H1N1 INFLUENZA OUTBREAK - CHINA SITREP # 10

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001283

HHS FOR OGHA
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID, AND PASS TO FLU COX AND MOUNTS AND
COGH BLOUNT AND KELLEY

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, MG, EAGR, HHS, TF, CH
SUBJECT: TFFLU01: H1N1 INFLUENZA OUTBREAK - CHINA SITREP # 10

REF: A) BEIJING 1274 B) BEIJING 1264 C) TOKYO 1072
D) BEIJING 1245 E) BEIJING 1224 F) HONG KONG 802


CHINA ISSUES ADVISORY ON TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES
-------------- --------------


1. (SBU) On May 13, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) posted
a travel advisory about travel to the U.S. related to the H1N1
outbreak. Earlier in the day, MFA had notified Embassy Beijing of
their intent to issue the travel advisory, noting that the advisory
is not a travel warning, but rather, is a reminder to Chinese
nationals in the United States to take appropriate precautions and
health measures. MFA also noted that the substance of the advisory
was taken largely from information provided on the U.S. CDC website.



2. (SBU) Separately, Post received news that a delegation of
approximately 20 provincial and Ministry of Human Resources and
Social Security (MOHRSS) officials was scheduled to participate in a
program on "Strengthening Governance through Enhanced Public
Administration" on June 6-27 in the United States. The Renmin
University organizer informed the host institution Michigan State
University this week that the program will have to be postponed due
to Chinese Government concerns related to H1N1. When asked about
this (and other similar recent reports of delegations delaying
official travel),a key MFA contact emphasized that there are no
such prohibitions, and that at this time the only official guidance
has been a travel advisory (paragraph 1),not a prohibition on
travel.


3. (SBU) Post has received reports through private sector contacts
that China has instituted visa restrictions for any persons
travelling to/from/through the U.S., and other H1N1 affected
countries. Beijing Consular Section has been in contact with MFA
regarding rumored visa restrictions, but MFA denied that it has
imposed any restrictions because of the H1N1 outbreak.


TWO CONFIRMED CASES OF H1N1
--------------


4. (SBU) As of COB May 13, China's Ministry of Health (MOH) has
reported two confirmed cases of H1N1 on Mainland China. MOH notified
Embassy Beijing of a second suspected case in Jinan City (Shandong
Province) the evening of May 12 and confirmed the case as H1N1
positive on May 13. The first H1N1 case on the mainland was
confirmed in Chengdu on May 12 (REF A). One confirmed case had
previously been reported in Hong Kong on May 1 (REF F).

--The second confirmed H1N1 case, a 19 year-old Chinese male who had
been studying in Canada, traveled on Air Canada flight 029 from
Vancouver, arriving in Beijing on May 8. While on board a train
from Beijing to Jinan City (his hometown) on May 11, he contacted
Jinan CDC to report flu-like symptoms. The student was then met by
Jinan CDC officials upon arrival late on May 11 and transferred
directly to Jinan Infectious Diseases Hospital for testing and
treatment. On May 12, Jinan CDC and Shandong Provincial CDC both
conducted tests that showed "probable" H1N1. MOH sent clinical and
epidemiological experts to Jinan on the morning of May 13, and China
CDC confirmed the case as influenza A/H1N1 later in the day.


STATUS OF AMCIT QUARANTINE CASES
--------------


5. (SBU) As of May 13, 73 American citizens are reported to be in
quarantine throughout China - 48 are currently being quarantined in
Beijing and fifteen are quarantined in nine other provinces and
municipalities across China. Of these, over 50 were passengers on
the May 8 NW029 flight from Tokyo to Beijing with China's first
confirmed case of H1N1. The MFA and Foreign Affairs Offices (FAOs)

BEIJING 00001283 002 OF 002


in several provinces and municipalities have requested assistance
from Embassy Beijing and our Consulates to help locate certain
American citizens who traveled on the same flights as the two
confirmed cases of H1N1 for quarantine.

-- 40 AmCits remain quarantined at the Guomen Hotel. All 40 were
passengers on flight NW029 into Beijing on May 8. One AmCit
quarantined at the Guomen Hotel reports that health authorities
posted an announcement saying if those under quarantine continue to
show no symptoms, they would be released on May 16. There are now
seven AmCits in quarantine at the Jinglin Hotel, with one new case
transferred to the hotel on May 13 from Ditan Hospital. (Note:
Jinglin Hotel is a correction from REF A, which named the hotel as
the Jin Lin Da Sha Hotel.) One other AmCit, who arrived in Beijing
in May 13 on flight CO089 and displayed flu-like symptoms upon
arrival was taken to Ditan Hospital for observation.

--Fifteen AmCits are in quarantine in Shandong, Gansu, Hebei, and
Henan provinces. Of these, eight are known to have been on the May 8
NW029 flight from Tokyo to Beijing. In one case in Zhengzhou (Henan
Province),two travel companions of the passenger on NW029 were also
quarantined. In another case in Qinhuangdao (Hebei Province),three
other AmCits who were in a tour group with a couple who had traveled
on NW029 were also quarantined.

--There are currently five AmCits in quarantine who were on board
NW025 from Detroit to Tokyo (Narita) on May 8 with the four
confirmed H1N1-infected Japanese passengers (who remain in
Japan)(REF C). Four AmCits remain in quarantine in Shanghai at the
Jin Jiang Star Hotel. On May 11, one additional AmCit from that
flight was placed under house quarantine in Hangzhou (Zhejiang
Province).

--Fujian FAO reported that a 10 month-old American citizen has been
placed in quarantine at the Changle Hospital after the baby showed
an elevated temperature at a local clinic on May 12. The baby and
mother had flown from New York to Fuzhou via Hong Kong on May 7. The
FAO also reported two other AmCits, another mother and child, had
been quarantined at Changle Hospital overnight but were released as
of May 13.

--Guangzhou FAO reported that one AmCit was quarantined at
Shenzhen's Shanhai Farm on May 12 after exhibiting a fever when
crossing the border from Hong Kong to China. Two AmCits who traveled
to Beijing on the same May 8 NW029 Tokyo to Beijing flight and then
flew onward to Guangzhou remain in quarantine in Guangzhou.

--In Kunming, one AmCit who had arrived in Beijing on the NW029 May
8 flight and then traveled on to Yunnan remains in home quarantine.
A second American who arrived in Kunming from Hong Kong on flight
KA760 with an elevated temperature was put into quarantine at a
local hospital.

--Case reported in Shenyang not/not AmCit: Shenyang local newspaper
reported on May 13 that one of six persons in quarantine at Shenyang
Infectious Disease Hospital was a U.S. citizen. Subsequent inquiry
by ConGen Shenyang confirmed the individual is a Chinese citizen,
U.S. legal permanent resident (LPR/Green Card holder).

PICCUTA