MGSF01: QATAR H1N1 STATUS REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000288

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU AEMR AMED ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO
PREL, PINR, AMGT, MG, QA
SUBJECT: MGSF01: QATAR H1N1 STATUS REPORT

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(SBU) KEY POINTS
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-- There were no suspected cases of H1N1 in Qatar as of
Thursday, April 30 at 1100 hours local.

-- The GOQ issued a travel advisory and guidelines for health
facilities 27 April. As of 29 April, Doha International
Airport required customer contact employees to wear masks,
receive medical check-ups if returning from Mexico or the
U.S., and recommended they take Tamiflu as a preventive
measure.

-- Post will soon issue Warden and Management Notices
updating the American community and Embassy staff on the H1N1
situation.

End Key Points.

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Situation in Qatar
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1. (U) On April 27, the Ministry of Health advised the public
to postpone non-essential travel to the U.S., Mexico, Canada,
the UK and other countries that have reported confirmed cases
of H1N1. The Ministry also advised people returning from
those countries to watch out for fever and flu-like symptoms
for at least 10 days after return. The Ministry provided two
hotline numbers at its Communicable Disease Control section
and asked all health facilities in Qatar to report suspected
cases of H1N1.


2. (U) Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Health Ministers will
reportedly meet Saturday, 2 May in Doha to discuss a response
to the crisis, according to press.


3. (SBU) An official from the Ministry of Health's Emergency
Preparedness Section told Econoff April 30 that the new
Minister of Health, Abdullah Bin Khalid Al-Qahtani (who was
only sworn in on April 27),had not yet taken a decision to
implement any special transportation-related measures in
Qatar. Options waiting for approval, according to this
contact, include distributing health questionnaires on
flights arriving at Doha International Airport (DIA),
enhancing the staff at the airport's medical clinic, and
enhanced screening of passengers. Likewise, the Vice
Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority told Econoff April
30 that no special screening procedures for passengers have
been put in place yet - but this could change at any moment
upon guidance from the Minister of Health.


4. (SBU) Some government and private entities are
implementing their own safety precautions. Most notably,
post obtained a copy of a 29 April circular from Doha
International Airport instructing all airport tenants to
require customer contact employees to wear masks and
requiring all employees who returned from Mexico or the U.S.
within the past 7 days to go to a medical center for
flu-testing before reporting for duty. The notice also
recommended that all customer contact employees "take
anti-viral medication (Tamiflu) as a preventative measure."
The message was signed by Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker.
(The airline is also responsible for DIA management).

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Embassy Actions
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5. (U) Post convened a Pandemic Influenza Working Group
meeting 30 April. In attendance were DCM, CONS, RSO, ECON,
MGT, PAO, and medical representatives from U.S. military
health facilities at Camp As-Sayliyah.


6. (U) Post issued 30 April a Warden Message updating the
American community in Qatar on the situation locally and
around the world. Post will also issue a Management Notice
to the official community reemphasizing precautionary
measures.


7. (SBU) U.S. military representatives advised that they had
received no special guidance from AFCENT or ARCENT on the
H1N1 situation. They are reemphasizing hygiene and
precautionary guidance to their communities and conducting

DOHA 00000288 002 OF 002


passive surveillance of trends in treatment at their health
facilities.

LeBaron