Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DHAHRAN125
2009-06-08 14:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Dhahran
Cable title:
UPDATE ON CASE OF H1N1 CONFIRMED IN DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA
how-toP R 081449Z JUN 09 FM AMCONSUL DHAHRAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0161 CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY 0003 INFO GCC C COLLECTIVE AMCONSUL DHAHRAN AMEMBASSY RIYADH AMCONSUL JEDDAH
UNCLAS DHAHRAN 000125
DEPARTMENT FOR OPS CENTER
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, OES/UHB, MED
DEPARTMENT FOR CA/OSC/ACS/NESCA - E.STOTT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU TBIO CASC SA
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CASE OF H1N1 CONFIRMED IN DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA
REF: DHAHRAN 0124
UNCLAS DHAHRAN 000125
DEPARTMENT FOR OPS CENTER
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, OES/UHB, MED
DEPARTMENT FOR CA/OSC/ACS/NESCA - E.STOTT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU TBIO CASC SA
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CASE OF H1N1 CONFIRMED IN DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA
REF: DHAHRAN 0124
1. The local and national Saudi press reported a new case of
H1N1 confirmed in Dhahran in the Eastern Province of Saudi
Arabia (refetel). The "Saudi Gazette" reported in its September
8, 2009 edition that it is the second case of H1N1 in the
kingdom and the first of a Saudi national to contract the
disease. The newspaper stated that the first confirmed case was
reported last Wednesday, June 1, 2009 when a Filipina nurse
tested positive several days after returning to Saudi Arabia
from a holiday in the Philippines.
2. Newspaper reports did not give details about the new case
relating to the U.S. Consulate. They did, however, give the
flight numbers the infected man had flown on Sunday, June 5,
2009 (Saudi Arabian Flight 032 from Washington and domestic
Saudi Arabian Flight 1108 from Jeddah to Dammam) and "appealed"
to passengers on both flights to contact Jeddah Health Affairs
as soon as possible.
3. The doctor leading the team that visited the Consular
Section waiting room yesterday on June 7, 2009 returned today.
One out of the three Consular Section employees who provided
swab samples yesterday tested positive for the Influenza A
virus; the test results on the other two were negative. All
three employees tested were prescribed, provided, and advised to
begin a ten-day regimen of TamiFlu by the doctor.
4. Consular Chief in Dhahran called the family home of the
infected visa applicant the morning of June 8, 2009. The phone
was answered by applicant's brother who stated that he had just
arrived from the airport. He was on a flight from Washington he
had previously scheduled before his brother's incident. The
brother stated he had just graduated from American University in
Washington (Masters degree) and had returned home with his wife,
daughter, and mother who attended the graduation ceremony. He
acknowledged that they had heard about his brother's incident
prior to leaving Washington and revealed his young daughter had
been seen in an emergency room two days prior to leaving
Washington for flu-like symptoms.
5. Consular Chief told the brother to pass along the Consulate's
best wishes for a speedy recovery and gave him a phone number to
call, asking him to let us know when he was released, so we
could schedule him for another visa appointment at his
convenience. The brother, who spoke perfect, non-accented
English, thanked the Consulate profusely for our gestures to his
family.
JAKENNY
RWERDMAN
KENNY
DEPARTMENT FOR OPS CENTER
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, OES/UHB, MED
DEPARTMENT FOR CA/OSC/ACS/NESCA - E.STOTT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU TBIO CASC SA
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CASE OF H1N1 CONFIRMED IN DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA
REF: DHAHRAN 0124
1. The local and national Saudi press reported a new case of
H1N1 confirmed in Dhahran in the Eastern Province of Saudi
Arabia (refetel). The "Saudi Gazette" reported in its September
8, 2009 edition that it is the second case of H1N1 in the
kingdom and the first of a Saudi national to contract the
disease. The newspaper stated that the first confirmed case was
reported last Wednesday, June 1, 2009 when a Filipina nurse
tested positive several days after returning to Saudi Arabia
from a holiday in the Philippines.
2. Newspaper reports did not give details about the new case
relating to the U.S. Consulate. They did, however, give the
flight numbers the infected man had flown on Sunday, June 5,
2009 (Saudi Arabian Flight 032 from Washington and domestic
Saudi Arabian Flight 1108 from Jeddah to Dammam) and "appealed"
to passengers on both flights to contact Jeddah Health Affairs
as soon as possible.
3. The doctor leading the team that visited the Consular
Section waiting room yesterday on June 7, 2009 returned today.
One out of the three Consular Section employees who provided
swab samples yesterday tested positive for the Influenza A
virus; the test results on the other two were negative. All
three employees tested were prescribed, provided, and advised to
begin a ten-day regimen of TamiFlu by the doctor.
4. Consular Chief in Dhahran called the family home of the
infected visa applicant the morning of June 8, 2009. The phone
was answered by applicant's brother who stated that he had just
arrived from the airport. He was on a flight from Washington he
had previously scheduled before his brother's incident. The
brother stated he had just graduated from American University in
Washington (Masters degree) and had returned home with his wife,
daughter, and mother who attended the graduation ceremony. He
acknowledged that they had heard about his brother's incident
prior to leaving Washington and revealed his young daughter had
been seen in an emergency room two days prior to leaving
Washington for flu-like symptoms.
5. Consular Chief told the brother to pass along the Consulate's
best wishes for a speedy recovery and gave him a phone number to
call, asking him to let us know when he was released, so we
could schedule him for another visa appointment at his
convenience. The brother, who spoke perfect, non-accented
English, thanked the Consulate profusely for our gestures to his
family.
JAKENNY
RWERDMAN
KENNY