AVIAN INFLUENZA: ANIMAL OUTBREAKS SPREAD INTO SEVEN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000122 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, OES/STC, OES/IHA, MED, OGAC STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (STERN) HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO FIC/NIH (RGLASS) AND OGHA (LVALDEZDMILLER/MABDOO) USAID FOR ASIA (MELLIS, DSHARMA, CJENNINGS) AND GH (KHILL, DCARROLL) CDC FOR COGH (SBLOUNT),CCID (SREDD) AND DIV-FLU(COX/MOHEN) USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA),FSIS BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC (MMALISON),USAID (MACARTHUR/MBRADY/CBOWES), APHIS (NCARDENAS),REO (HHOWARD) BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE (BROSS) PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR(BBRADY) ROME FOR FAO VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR (ACORWIN) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED EAGR PINR KFLU VM SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: ANIMAL OUTBREAKS SPREAD INTO SEVEN PROVINCES REF: A. Hanoi 103 B. Hanoi 65 C. Hanoi 21 HANOI 00000122 001.2 OF 002 1.(U) Summary: Animal infections have now spread to 11 communes in 10 districts within seven Vietnamese provinces, in the broadest outbreak since 2007. To date in 2009, H5N1 has affected seven provinces in Vietnam (Quang Tri and Nghe An in central Vietnam, Hau Giang, Soc Trang and Ca Mau in the south, and Quang Ninh and Bac Ninh in the north),and the disease is threatening to extend into additional provinces, particularly in the Mekong Delta. End Summary. Poultry Outbreaks -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On February 11, Bac Ninh province, which borders Hanoi to the east, announced an outbreak of bird flu in An Dong village, Lac Ve commune, Tien Du district. Tests performed on water fowl found dying en masse on February 8 and 9 at two poultry farms were positive for H5N1. Provincial authorities quarantined the area and culled remaining birds at the farms. Yesterday, the Department of Animal Health (DAH) within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reported a continued poultry outbreak in Soc Trang (resulting int the culling of 2,000 ducks) and additional outbreaks in several communes in Hau Giang (resulting in the culling of 2,200 ducks),both in the Mekong Delta. Officials also announced the presence of H5N1 in 250 sick ducks in a 1,000 animal flock in Quang Tri. Following detection, the entire flock was culled. In conversations with USAID officials, DAH Deputy Director Hoang Van Nam urged caution and noted that the total number of birds culled to date did not appear inconsistent with the numbers from 2008. However, Nam acknowledged greater concern over animal outbreaks in the Mekong Delta. Prime Minister Urges Strong Response -------------- ¶3. (U) On February 10, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told central and provincial officials to double efforts to fight bird flu, to improve vaccination coverage, quarantine outbreak areas, promptly release details of any epidemic. He also called for an epidemic awareness program to better inform people of the risks from H5N1 and how to prevent its spread. However, the GVN will have to combat growing apathy among many Vietnamese citizens, who have not faced a broad epidemic in some time and who are more concerned about access to affordable chicken or duck during tough economic times. As an example, Ho Chi Minh City authorities expressed their frustration to the press today that they cannot stamp out the illegal trade of live chickens and ducks. In some cases, traders have attacked inspectors. Comment -------------- ¶4. (U) While it is too early to determine whether these sporadic and localized outbreaks scattered around the country will result in a HANOI 00000122 002.2 OF 002 nationwide epidemic as experienced earlier this decade, we remain concerned and will keep in close contact with our animal and human health contacts. As has occurred in the past, the recent pattern is for initial infections in unvaccinated and mostly immature ducks with spill-over to smaller numbers of susceptible chickens, which pose the greatest risk to humans. Complacency among the broader population, with fewer people following good sanitation practices, then increases the risk of human infection. End Comment. MICHALAK