H1N1 INFLUENZA OUTBREAK - CHINA SITREP #24

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001974 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, CH SUBJECT: H1N1 INFLUENZA OUTBREAK - CHINA SITREP #24 REF: A) BEIJING 1885 B) BEIJING 1816 C) BEIJING 1705 D) BEIJING 1664 E) BEIJING 1636 1302 CASES OF 2009 A/H1N1 CONFIRMED, NOTIFICATIONS TAPERING -------------- -------------- ¶1. (U) China's Ministry of Health (MOH) informed Post on July 13 that as of July 11, it would no longer be sending daily notifications on newly-confirmed H1N1 cases and directed us to the MOH website for the latest H1N1 information. MOH now posts a daily announcement on their website that includes the total number of confirmed cases and the total number recovered and released to date, but no longer reports information on the locations of the new cases or whether cases are isolated for treatment at a designated hospital or at home. ¶2. (U) According to MOH, as of COB on July 11, there have been 1302 confirmed cases of infection by the novel 2009 influenza A/H1N1. Of the 1302 confirmed cases, MOH reported that as of July 11, 1085 infected patients had recovered and been released from treatment. To date, there have been no deaths or severe complications due to novel 2009 influenza A/H1N1 in China. CHINA EASES QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION MEASURES, AMCIT CASES DROP -------------- -------------- -------------- - ¶3. (U) On July 8, MOH released new H1N1 prevention and control guidance geared toward provincial and local health authorities, encouraging them to suspend quarantine of Qclose contactsQ in centralized locations and provides the option to treat Qmild casesQ of confirmed cases at home. The guidance gives local governments latitude to decide how to implement these new guidelines. ¶4. (SBU) Reports from Consulates indicate that following the new guidance, local authorities are emphasizing home quarantine for exposed persons and home isolation for mild cases of confirmed infection by H1N1. Guangzhou, which had already begun to loosen its quarantine and isolation measures for Chinese citizens resident in the Pearl River Delta a week earlier (REF A),has extended these new practices to include all persons. Only those displaying flu-like symptoms at ports of entry will be sent to hospitals for testing; even for confirmed H1N1 cases, hospital treatment and Tamiflu are no longer recommended in China for mild cases. Guangdong Health Department authorities also report that following these new measures, medical fees incurred for H1N1 treatment will no longer be paid by the Chinese government. (NOTE: Before the July 8 MOH guidance, the Shanghai Health Department had also announced a shift in its control strategy and measures, loosening screening procedures and moving away from mandatory quarantine of close contacts (REF A). END NOTE) ¶5. (SBU) With the easing of quarantine and control measures, Consulates have experienced a steep drop-off in new A/H1N1 AmCit quarantine cases, with the total number of AmCits in quarantine down from over 200 as of July 1(REF A),to less than a dozen countrywide as of COB on July 13. MOH RESPONSE TO CDA REQUEST FOR HOME QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) On July 10, Embassy Beijing received an official BEIJING 00001974 002 OF 002 MOH response to CDAQs July 2 letter to Minister Chen requesting permission for self-quarantine and home-isolation for the mission community (REF A). The response leaves the door open for home treatment of Qmild casesQ of confirmed infections, at the discretion of the local Health Departments. The response makes no mention of a request to self-quarantine close contacts at home, probably because following the new MOH guidance on July 8 the practice of quarantine of close contacts in centralized locations should no longer officially exist. In practice, however, Post could continue to see residual cases of centralized quarantine of close contacts until all localities implement home quarantine procedures. GOLDBERG