GERMANY H1N1 FLU UPDATE: ANOTHER SPIKE IN CASES, 86

UNCLAS BERLIN 000695 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/CE PETER SCHROEDER STATE FOR OES/IHB STATE FOR AID/GH/HIDN USDA PASS TO APHIS HHS PASS TO CDC HHS FOR OGHA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO KFLU ECON PREL SOCI CASC EAGR MX GM SUBJECT: GERMANY H1N1 FLU UPDATE: ANOTHER SPIKE IN CASES, 86 TOTAL REF: A) Berlin 686, B) 672, C) 663, D) Berlin 657, E) Berlin 641, F) Berlin 626, G) Berlin 545, H) Berlin 537, I) Berlin 526, J) Berlin 518, K) Berlin 512, L) Berlin 495, M) Berlin 488 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The number of H1N1 cases in Germany rose to 86 on June 10, as twenty more people were confirmed to be infected with the new virus. The four suspected military cases at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center were confirmed positive. RKI says the growth of cases in Germany does not represent a threat to the German population. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On June 9, the National Reference Center for Influenza at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced in an evening press briefing eleven new laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 in Germany. One previously confirmed case of H1N1 from Baden-Wuerttemberg is now being reviewed as a suspect case, RKI said. According to the institute, five of the infections occurred in the US and one in Argentina. One of these individuals infected five other people inside Germany with the virus. The new cases were distributed among the federal states as follows: Bavaria (6),Thuringia (2),Baden- Wuerttemberg (1),Hamburg (1),and Saxony (1). ¶3. On June 10, RKI confirmed an additional ten new laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 in Germany, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in Germany to 86. RKI reports that five of the new cases occurred in Germany and five in the US. Six US Soldiers in Germany Infected with New Flu -------------- --- ¶4. (SBU) The four suspected cases at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (Rhineland-Palatinate) are now confirmed positive, making a total of six confirmed cases (REF A). German health authorities in Rhineland-Palatinate have been notified. All contacts have been surveyed, treated, sequestered as appropriate, based on exposure history and are reportedly recovering without incident. Epidemic Does Not Represent Threat to German Population -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Despite an increase in H1N1 cases in Germany, RKI announced that the epidemic in Germany does not yet represent a threat to the German population. However, RKI expects further spread of the virus in Germany and advised on its website to maintain high standards of personal hygiene at all times to prevent infections. Tally of sources -------------- ¶4. (SBU) In 51 of the 86 (total, to date) cases, the infection occurred in the US, nine cases occurred in Mexico, and one each in England, Canada, and Panama and two in Argentina. Twenty-one of the infections were transmitted among families of Germans who returned from travel, at a hospital, and the airport. KOENIG