Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS831
2009-06-17 15:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

BELGIUM: H1N1: SIX NEW CASES BRING TOTAL TO 20

Tags:  KFLU AEMR ASEC AMED CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL 
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R 171524Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9074
HHS WASHDC
CDC ATLANTA GA
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000831 


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: SIX NEW CASES BRING TOTAL TO 20

REF: BRUSSELS 804

SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000831


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: SIX NEW CASES BRING TOTAL TO 20

REF: BRUSSELS 804

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (U) Belgian health authorities announced five more positive
cases of H1N1 over the weekend of June 13-14, and then indicated on
June 16 that a probable 20th case had occurred. All cases are
considered mild, and all patients have received antiviral treatment.
End summary.

CASE FIFTEEN


2. (U) A female flight attendant from Antwerp tested positive on
June 13, after having left the Dominican Republic on June 8 and
arriving in Brussels on June 9, after transiting Jamaica. She felt
ill with flu symptoms on June 12 and contacted her doctor who had
her tested. The patient has been kept isolated at home and is being
treated with antivirals. Authorities deem she was contagious during
her flight (Jetairfly flight JAF104),and have sought to contact
Belgians who were on the flight; names of non-Belgians were to be
passed to health authorities of their countries for follow-up.
Persons having had close contact with the patient were put on a
preventative treatment of antivirals and were asked to remain
isolated at their residences.

CASE SIXTEEN


3. (U) A woman from eastern Flanders who had returned to Belgium
June 8 from New York also tested positive on June 13. She contacted
a doctor on June 12 after she began to experience flu symptoms. She
has been kept isolated at home and is being treated, and persons
having had contact with her have been isolated, treated, and are
staying at home. Health authorities believe the woman was not/not
contagious during her flight.

CASE SEVENTEEN


4. (U) The third person testing positive on June 13 was a Canadian
woman transiting Brussels from Toronto to New Delhi on June 12. She
did not feel well while at the Brussels' Zaventem airport, and was
put in isolation there until her positive test, when she was
transferred to Saint Pierre's hospital in Brussels for treatment.
Passengers at risk from the Toronto-Brussels and the Brussels-New
Delhi flights were to have been contacted by health authorities.

CASE EIGHTEEN


5. (U) A male flight attendant colleague of case fifteen tested
positive for H1N1 on June 14. Authorities say he was not/not
contagious during the flight from the Dominican Republic to Belgium
(via Jamaica); the man had not worked since arriving in Belgium on
June 9. He had been isolated at home and had received treatment
since June 12 after his colleague had tested positive, but at that
point he had already acquired the virus. Persons having had close
contact are being treated preventatively and isolated at their
homes. The man is being treated at home.

CASE NINETEEN


6. (U) A man who had had close contact with the woman from eastern
Flanders (case sixteen) also tested positive on June 14. He had
been isolated at home and received treatment for the virus, and
persons having had close contact are being treated with antivirals
and isolated at home. Case nineteen will remain at home for
treatment.

CASE TWENTY


7. (U) Belgian health authorities announced in a June 16 press
release that a 'probable' case of H1N1 had been found, involving a
six-year old girl who had come in close contact with the woman
identified above as case sixteen. The girl showed fever symptoms on
June 14. As she had already been isolated for seven days at home
and had been receiving preventative treatment for H1N1, authorities
decided not to test her.

BUSH