Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KOLONIA67
2009-05-01 05:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kolonia
Cable title:  

FSM INSTITUTUTES NEW AIRPORT SCREENING PROCEDURES DUE TO

Tags:  AMED ASEC CASC KFLU TBIO FM 
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O 010545Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY KOLONIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2281
INFO AMEMBASSY MANILA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY KOROR IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY MAJURO IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY KOLONIA
UNCLAS KOLONIA 000067 


DEPT FOR CA/OCS: KAREN ZARESKI
CA/OCS/EAP: DAVID SCHWARTZ
EAP/ANP
MANILA FOR RMO, ARSO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED ASEC CASC KFLU TBIO FM
SUBJECT: FSM INSTITUTUTES NEW AIRPORT SCREENING PROCEDURES DUE TO
H1N1 FEARS

REF: KOLONIA 66

UNCLAS KOLONIA 000067


DEPT FOR CA/OCS: KAREN ZARESKI
CA/OCS/EAP: DAVID SCHWARTZ
EAP/ANP
MANILA FOR RMO, ARSO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED ASEC CASC KFLU TBIO FM
SUBJECT: FSM INSTITUTUTES NEW AIRPORT SCREENING PROCEDURES DUE TO
H1N1 FEARS

REF: KOLONIA 66


1. Post previously reported that the Federated States of
Micronesia (FSM) announced new screening procedures for arriving
air travel passengers (reftel). The new procedures aim to
identify persons arriving from areas affected by the H1N1 (swine
flu) virus. The first screenings took place on April 30.


2. Until further notice, all persons disembarking at a
Micronesian airport will be asked if they have visited an
affected area within the last seven days. The current list
includes the following areas of the United States:

-ARIZONA: Phoenix;
-CALIFORNIA: Imperial, Marin, Oxnard, Riverside Sacramento and
San Diego counties;
-INDIANA: South Bend;
-KANSAS: Dickinson County;
-MASSACHUSETTS: Lowell;
-MICHIGAN: Livingstone County;
-NEVADA: Washoe County;
-NEW YORK: New York City;
-OHIO: Loraine County;
-TEXAS: Cameron, Dallas, Guadalupe, and Starr counties, and the
cities of Houston and Corpus Christi.


3. Presumably, the list of affected areas may change. The FSM
government offered no information on its methodology for
compiling the list.


4. If a person has visited one of these affected areas within
the last week, the Immigration Officer will refer the traveler
to FSM Department of Health and Social Affairs (DHSA) personnel
set up in a separate room at the airport. These personnel will
check to see if a person has a fever, a cough, and/or a sore
throat. If these symptoms are present the traveler will be
taken to the hospital for further tests. The traveler will be
given Tamiflu and placed in an isolated hospital room with other
symptomatic patients.


5. If a traveler lacks symptoms but has visited an affected
area, he/she will be given a surgical mask and a brochure with
guidance on "self-quarantine". The DHSA requests each such
passenger to stay at home without venturing outside and notify
DHSA immediately should symptoms develop. If no symptoms occur
after seven days then the person can return to work or go out in
public.


6. As of May 1, FSM Immigration Officers have yet to identify
any passengers targeted by the new rules. However, it is still
only the second day of operations and such passengers will
probably be uncovered eventually. Complaints and disruptions
would appear to be inevitable, but a fearful public may accept
the new procedures with a minimum of fuss.


7. Other countries designated as having "affected" areas include
Austria, Canada, Germany, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and
the United Kingdom.

DOUGLASSWD