TFFLU01: MALAYSIA H1N1 UPDATE - MAY 13, 2009

UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000362

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR CA/OCS/EAP
STATE FOR M/PRI FOR RMORRITZ
STATE FOR S/ES-O/CMS FOR EPARRA
STATE FOR EAP/MTS FOR DBISCHOF
STATE FOR OES/AIAG FOR AMBASSSADOR LOFTIS, DWINN AND
CPATTERSON
STATE FOR REO/BKK FOR HHOWARD
STATE FOR OES/IHB, AAIT, MED
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER AND HICKEY
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH
USDA FOR APHIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC AMED CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL
PINR, AMGT, TF, MY
SUBJECT: TFFLU01: MALAYSIA H1N1 UPDATE - MAY 13, 2009


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Malaysia has no reported human H1N1 cases. Two
confirmed cases in neighboring Thailand have led to increased
surveillance. The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
issued a more specific travel advisory, which again recommends
against all non-essential travel to the U.S. but adds that all
travel to heavily affected regions like Illinois, Wisconsin, and
California should be deferred. Post continued its efforts to
persuade the Government of Malaysia (GOM) to lift its freeze on pork
imports (see septel). END SUMMARY.

H1N1 Screening and Testing
--------------


2. (SBU) Thermal screening has increased with the installation of
new thermal imagers. There are now 11 thermal scanners at six ports
of entry: Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the Kuala Lumpur Low
Cost Carrier Terminal, the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, the
Bayan Lepas International Airport in Penang, Kuching International
Airport in Sarawak and Senai International Airport, Johor.
Approximately 6,000 passengers are being screened each day at these
airports with another 100 to 300 travelers being manually screened
at land and sea ports of entry. Passengers showing influenza-like
illness symptoms continue to be referred to one of 28 Ministry of
Health (MOH) hospitals for testing. So far, all cases have returned
a negative result from the rapid testing. No samples were sent to
the WHO reference lab in Melbourne for further testing.


3. (SBU) MedOff reports cases of seasonal influenza. All cases
have been confirmed negative for H1N1. Seasonal Influenza A is
anecdotally widespread in Malaysia and Singapore but exact numbers
are not tracked. Unfortunately, most local hospitals do not have
samples for annual influenza. As such, all cases that meet the case
definition must be sent to the MOH hospital for further testing.

Travel Warning
--------------


4. (SBU) The MFA travel advisory issued on May 12 is more specific
than the last advisory issued on April 27. This advisory recommends
travelers defer all non-essential trips to the U.S., Mexico, Canada,
Spain, and the United Kingdom on the basis that "96.8 percent of the
reported cases hail from the five countries." The advisory goes a
step further and recommends travelers defer any trips to heavily hit
places, specifically naming only three locations: Illinois,
Wisconsin, and California. The advisory remains voluntary and was
ironically issued by MFA on the same day that the local media is
reporting Minister of Foreign Affairs Anifah Aman will travel to the
U.S. on May 14.

Pork Import Freeze
--------------


5. (SBU) FAS Attache met with officials from the Ministry of
Agriculture and Agro-based Industries (MOA) and the Department of
Veterinary Services on May 11 to discuss the current import freeze
on pork products. These officials admitted that the decision to
freeze pork imports was not based on a sound scientific rationale,
but said that it was a necessary and temporary step to allay fears
in society and stave off calls for more drastic measures. The GOM
is conducting an extensive surveillance of all local pig farms and
is unlikely to consider lifting the freeze until that exercise is
completed in one or two weeks time. Post will continue to engage
GOM authorities on the pork freeze issue.

KEITH