Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HONGKONG935
2009-05-21 09:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:
TFFLU01: HONG KONG H1N1 UPDATE (5/21),QUARANTINE
how-toVZCZCXRO9790 OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC DE RUEHHK #0935 1410921 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 210921Z MAY 09 FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7668 INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA IMMEDIATE RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS HONG KONG 000935
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR TFFLU01M, CA/OCS/EP, M/PRI/SES-O, M/PRI/SES-O,
AAIT, OES/IHA, OES/IHB, CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID, HHS FOR OGHA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC KFLO KFLU KPAO KSAF MG
PINR, PREL, TBIO, EAGR, HK, CH
SUBJECT: TFFLU01: HONG KONG H1N1 UPDATE (5/21),QUARANTINE
POLICY CHANGES
REF: TOKYO 1150
UNCLAS HONG KONG 000935
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR TFFLU01M, CA/OCS/EP, M/PRI/SES-O, M/PRI/SES-O,
AAIT, OES/IHA, OES/IHB, CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID, HHS FOR OGHA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC KFLO KFLU KPAO KSAF MG
PINR, PREL, TBIO, EAGR, HK, CH
SUBJECT: TFFLU01: HONG KONG H1N1 UPDATE (5/21),QUARANTINE
POLICY CHANGES
REF: TOKYO 1150
1. (U) Effective May 21, Hong Kong will no longer mandatorily
quarantine travelers who have been in contact with a
confirmed H1N1 patient. Under new guidelines released May 20,
travelers and others linked through direct or proximity
contact to a confirmed H1N1 patient, who do not exhibit
flu-like symptoms, will be asked to self-isolate at home and
report daily for seven days to a designated clinic for a
health check. While at the clinic they will be administered a
daily prophylactic dose of oseltamivir (trade name Tamiflu)
to minimize the chances of H1N1 infection. Individuals who
do not report to the clinic remain subject to quarantine.
2. (SBU) Officials say this policy change is one of the final
steps in the move from an H1N1 containment to a mitigation
strategy. Noting there are over 13,000 arrivals daily from
the United Kingdom, Japan and North America, Health Secretary
York Chow and other senior health officials have said it may
now be only a short time until H1N1 infections in Hong Kong
can no longer be contained and outbreaks occur in the
community. The change in policy also reflects better
scientific understanding of the virus and experience gained
through treating the three H1N1-confirmed cases in Hong Kong.
A May 20 memorandum released to Hong Kong's Consular Corps
further explains the change in policy by noting that none of
the 400 individuals placed in quarantine in Hong Kong to
date have developed H1N1. The relatively mild overall course
of the disease and the availability of effective antivirals
make this policy change possible. Individuals currently
under quarantine, including eight AMCITS, are expected to be
released today as part of this policy adjustment.
3. (SBU) In response to the rapid rise of H1N1 infections in
Japan (Reftel),the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR)
has raised its six-tier response level from four to five.
There are no confirmed H1N1 cases in Macau but the SAR's
economy is heavily dependent on tourist travel, a significant
percentage of which transit or originate in Hong Kong or
Japan. A family of five Philippine nationals (three of whom
are also AMCITS) are in quarantine until May 23 for contact
exposure after flying on the same flight as a Japanese
student diagnosed with H1N1.
DONOVAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR TFFLU01M, CA/OCS/EP, M/PRI/SES-O, M/PRI/SES-O,
AAIT, OES/IHA, OES/IHB, CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID, HHS FOR OGHA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC KFLO KFLU KPAO KSAF MG
PINR, PREL, TBIO, EAGR, HK, CH
SUBJECT: TFFLU01: HONG KONG H1N1 UPDATE (5/21),QUARANTINE
POLICY CHANGES
REF: TOKYO 1150
1. (U) Effective May 21, Hong Kong will no longer mandatorily
quarantine travelers who have been in contact with a
confirmed H1N1 patient. Under new guidelines released May 20,
travelers and others linked through direct or proximity
contact to a confirmed H1N1 patient, who do not exhibit
flu-like symptoms, will be asked to self-isolate at home and
report daily for seven days to a designated clinic for a
health check. While at the clinic they will be administered a
daily prophylactic dose of oseltamivir (trade name Tamiflu)
to minimize the chances of H1N1 infection. Individuals who
do not report to the clinic remain subject to quarantine.
2. (SBU) Officials say this policy change is one of the final
steps in the move from an H1N1 containment to a mitigation
strategy. Noting there are over 13,000 arrivals daily from
the United Kingdom, Japan and North America, Health Secretary
York Chow and other senior health officials have said it may
now be only a short time until H1N1 infections in Hong Kong
can no longer be contained and outbreaks occur in the
community. The change in policy also reflects better
scientific understanding of the virus and experience gained
through treating the three H1N1-confirmed cases in Hong Kong.
A May 20 memorandum released to Hong Kong's Consular Corps
further explains the change in policy by noting that none of
the 400 individuals placed in quarantine in Hong Kong to
date have developed H1N1. The relatively mild overall course
of the disease and the availability of effective antivirals
make this policy change possible. Individuals currently
under quarantine, including eight AMCITS, are expected to be
released today as part of this policy adjustment.
3. (SBU) In response to the rapid rise of H1N1 infections in
Japan (Reftel),the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR)
has raised its six-tier response level from four to five.
There are no confirmed H1N1 cases in Macau but the SAR's
economy is heavily dependent on tourist travel, a significant
percentage of which transit or originate in Hong Kong or
Japan. A family of five Philippine nationals (three of whom
are also AMCITS) are in quarantine until May 23 for contact
exposure after flying on the same flight as a Japanese
student diagnosed with H1N1.
DONOVAN