BELGIUM: H1N1: SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000728 SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/IHB STATE PASS USTR JANE DOHERTY STATE PASS USAID STATE PASS HHS/NIH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC AMED CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL, PINR, AMGT, TF, BE SUBJECT: BELGIUM: H1N1: SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CONFIRMED CASES, ALL MILD REF: BRUSSELS 700 ¶1. Belgian health authorities announced via a May 26 press release that an eighth positive case of H1N1 in Belgium has occurred, involving a young man from Brussels who had returned to Belgium on May 24 from a New York-Paris flight, taking the TGV high-speed train from Paris to Brussels. The man contacted his doctor on May 25 complaining of not feeling well. His doctor noted the man's symptoms -- fever, cough and muscle pain -- and after consulting with a public health official, the man was tested for H1N1, and on May 26 the positive test result was received and the patient was transferred to Brussels' Saint Pierre's hospital, as were all previous H1N1 patients. His condition was described as not worrying in the press release announcing the case. The man had not left his home following his return from New York. The three persons with whom he had close contact have started a preventative treatment of antiviral medication and are avoiding contact with others. The press release indicated that French authorities have asked the airline in question for a list of passengers on the flight from New York to Paris, and that persons who could have been exposed to the virus during the flight or the train to Brussels will be contacted. ¶2. Last week, Belgian health authorities announced via separate press releases on May 21 that the sixth and seventh confirmed cases of H1N1 had been found in the country. The sixth case involves a female from the French-speaking province of Brabant in the Wallonia region who had returned March 19 via a flight from Newark after spending one week on the East Coast of the United States; the seventh case involves a male from Antwerp province who returned to Belgium on May 20 via a Chicago flight. Both individuals are currently at Brussel's Saint Pierre hospital in a special ward for H1N1 patients; the authorities described both cases as mild and both patients are expected to recover. ¶3. The woman from Brabant stayed home on May 19 following her return from the United States. On May 20, she called her doctor to report flu-like symptoms. She was tested and kept isolated at home pending the results. She was transferred to Saint Pierre's hospital following her positive test result. Three persons with whom she had close contact are being treated with anti-viral medications. Authorities have asked for the list of passengers on the woman's flight from Newark and those passengers whom authorities believe could have been exposed to the virus during the flight will be contacted by health authorities. If some of those passengers are not Belgian residents, health authorities of their country of residence will be notified. ¶4. The man from Antwerp contacted his doctor following his return from Chicago, complaining of feeling unwell and sore joints, but otherwise without influenza symptoms. On the evening of May 20, he began to have a fever, light cough and muscle soreness. He went to an emergency room on May 21 and following a positive test for H1N1, was transferred to Saint Pierre's. Thirteen (13) people with whom he had had close contact since his return are being treated with anti-viral medicine. Authorities have asked for the list of passengers on the man's flight from Newark and those passengers whom authorities believe could have been exposed to the virus during the flight will be contacted by health authorities. If some of those passengers are not Belgian residents, health authorities of their country of residence will be notified. ¶5. Belgian health authorities announced in a May 24 press release that the first five positive H1N1 cases have been released recently from Saint Pierre's hospital, no longer contagious, and while patients six and seven are still in Saint Pierre's, their condition is not worrisome. The eighth patient was of course not mentioned as he arrived at Saint Pierre's after the May 24 press release. BUSH .