3 SUSPECTED SWINE FLU CASES IN GERMANY / EMBASSY

UNCLAS BERLIN 000488 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/CE PETER SCHROEDER STATE FOR OES/IHB USDA PASS TO APHIS HHS PASS TO CDC HHS FOR OGHA STATE FOR AID/GH/HIDN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI CASC EAGR MX GM SUBJECT: 3 SUSPECTED SWINE FLU CASES IN GERMANY / EMBASSY PREPARATIONS REF: SECSTATE 41768 ¶1. (SBU) German media reported on April 27 that three Germans -- two men who recently returned from Mexico and a woman -- have been quarantined in the western city of Bielefeld after exhibiting swine flu-like symptoms. Preliminary tests on two of the patients did not support suspicions of swine flu, but both will remain in isolation, pending the results of additional tests. At present, no further information is available on the third case. ¶2. (SBU) The Mission Germany Pandemic Influenza Working Group (PIWG) will meet by DVC on April 28, at 1400 local time, where they will review existing Mission tripwires for adequacy and completeness, discuss current posture and application of the no double standard policy, and ask open questions of the Health Unit. ¶3. (SBU) Mission Health Unit has confirmed adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and antiviral medications. Health Unit will increase surveillance for flu symptoms in the Mission and report regularly to STATE/MED/DASHO. Mission Germany has reopened lines of communication with the local Berlin health authorities. We have also confirmed that the Robert Koch Institute, the German government-sponsored research institution charged with protecting public health and monitoring infectious diseases, will post situation reports and updates on their website http://www.rkL.de (German only). ¶4. (SBU) Our contacts at the Agriculture Ministry (BMELV) tell us that they view this outbreak as a human, rather than animal, disease outbreak. That said, Germany has not imposed any trade restrictions in reaction to the swine flu outbreaks among humans in Mexico or the US. They also indicated that veterinary issues are coordinated within the context of the EU, suggesting that Germany is unlikely to put any trade restrictions in place without EU Directives. Koenig