KOLONIA CONVENES EAC REGARDING H1N1

UNCLAS KOLONIA 000066 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR CA/OCS: KAREN B. ZARESKI CA/OCS/EAP: DAVID SCHWARTZ EAP/ANP DS/IP M S/CRS MANILA FOR RMO, ARSO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMED AMGT ASEC CASC KSAF KFLU TBIO FM SUBJECT: KOLONIA CONVENES EAC REGARDING H1N1 REF: STATE 71745 ¶1. (SBU) Per reftel and in response to the H1N1 outbreak in many countries, Embassy Kolonia's Emergency Action Committee (EAC) convened on April 29. Members present were DCM, ECON/CONS and MGT. ¶2. (SBU) EAC members unanimously agreed that the first tripwire had not been met in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), i.e. there have been no domestic animal outbreaks and no cases of human infection have been reported. The EAC also reviewed the containment actions of the host government. The FSM Public Information Office will provide information and alerts over local radio stations. The FSM Department of Immigration announced that it would begin screening arriving passengers to see if anyone coming into the country is from an affected area, e.g. Mexico and certain U.S. states (post will report on the new screening procedures septel). The Department of Health and Social Affairs will begin regular contact with the four states' Departments of Health on pandemic issues. The same Department announced that the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention will provide the FSM with 100% of its Tamiflu allocation from the Strategic National Stockpile. ¶3. (SBU) The day before, April 28, post sent a message to its Embassy wardens asking them to alert all Americans to the CDC, travel.state.gov, and WHO internet links for information on the H1N1 virus. ECON/CONS reported that no public inquiries had been received as yet, nor have there been complaints about the new port of entry screening procedures. DCM related that neither the Peace Corps Director nor the USDA Rural Development Director had received any reports of H1N1 virus in the islands. MGT noted that post has a large number of Tamiflu doses on hand that should be more than sufficient to treat the Embassy community, including Mission members located outside the Chancery. The EAC agreed to continue monitoring the situation. DOUGLASSWD