AUSTRALIA H1N1 RESPONSE: LOWERING THE HEAT

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000952

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/IHB, AIAG FOR WINN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA H1N1 RESPONSE: LOWERING THE HEAT

REF: A. CANBERRA 907

B. CANBERRA 812


1. (SBU) Summary: Australia is slowly decreasing its H1N1
alert level as flu season ends. Despite a few minor
shortcomings with its national vaccine program (ref A),the
GOA is confident that the current situation is stable and is
reducing resources committed to managing H1N1. Based on this
year's experiences, plans are underway to revise pandemic
planning. The Department of Health and Ageing is carefully
monitoring Northern Hemisphere epidemiological data to assess
whether pandemic influenza will emerge in any threatening
form this season. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Econoff met with Gary Lum, Assistant Secretary for
Emergency Health Management at the Department of Health and
Ageing (DOHA) on October 13. Lum has headed the Department's
National Incident Room throughout the early and middle stages
of the H1N1 pandemic. He told Econoff that Australia's state
and federal health experts were "plussed-up" for the recent
rollout of the national vaccine plan, but as flu season was
over in Australia, the GOA is planning to roll back the level
of resources committed against H1N1 by mid-summer. Lum said
that would include folding H1N1 surveillance back into
regular epidemic surveillance. Australia has confirmed more
than 36,000 cases of H1N1 since March, with 185 deaths. The
GOA has procured enough H1N1 vaccine to vaccinate all
Australians, although vaccination is only recommended, not
mandatory.


3. (SBU) Lum said one reason why DOHA was lowering its guard
was that Australia was getting extremely good epidemiological
data from U.S. and other Northern Hemisphere sources, and are
watching that carefully to try and see what events develop
over the upcoming flu season. This should provide early
warning for Australia even with surveillance folded back into
the routine influenza surveillance system. At the same time,
Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer Jim Bishop told
parliamentarians at DOHA Senate Estimates on October 22 that
the government should not become complacent about H1N1 and
that a new round of infection could enter Australia over the
summer.


4. (SBU) Lum said there were a few minor problems with the
rollout of the vaccine plan (ref A),specifically a number of
allergic reactions to the latex used in the kits and the
rapid response by a small, vocal anti-vaccination lobby in
Australia. Despite those issues, Lum said that government
was pleased with the progress of the vaccine program, and
expected human trials on subjects under 9 years of age to
begin in mid-November.


5. (SBU) DOHA is revising the Australian Health Management of
Pandemic Influenza (AHMPPI) over the next few months, and
incorporating lessons learned that will then enable the Prime
Minister and his staff to revise the overall National Action
Plan on emergency response to better deal with a potential
second wave of pandemic influenza.


6. (SBU) Comment: Lum's view was that all these measures,
along with the relatively low pathogenicity of current H1N1
strains, gave him a good degree of confidence that the
chances of a higher-mortality "second wave," and subsequent
public reaction, were small. But he stressed that such
confidence has been proven wrong in the past. A massive
second outbreak in the Northern Hemisphere in the next few
Qsecond outbreak in the Northern Hemisphere in the next few
weeks would likely reduce the time Australia has to prepare
itself against a possible reemergence of H1N1. End Comment.

CLUNE