TFFLU01: MALAYSIA H1N1 UPDATE - June 5, 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000446 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 - June 5, 2009 REF: A. Kuala Lumpur 395 ¶B. Kuala Lumpur 363 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed three new cases of H1N1 in Malaysia on June 4. One case is a Malaysian student who returned from the U.S. where he was studying. The other two cases are German tourists who arrived together from Singapore. Malaysia's two previous H1N1 cases were released from quarantine on May 20 and 22 with no known local transmission of the virus, bringing the total case count in Malaysia to five (see reftel A). As with the previous cases, MOH is quarantining close contacts of the infected individuals. Post believes there were 17 AmCits who traveled with the infected student; we have confirmed that 7 have been contacted by MOH and asked to quarantine themselves in their hotels or homes. In a separate development, the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) informed FAS Attache that Malaysia has lifted its pork import freeze (see reftel B). END SUMMARY -------------- Confirmed Cases -------------- ¶2. (U) Malaysia's third confirmed case of H1N1 is a 23 year old male Malaysian who was studying in the U.S. He returned to Malaysia on June 1 aboard Malaysian Airlines flight MH091. As with the prior two cases in Malaysia, he underwent thermal screening at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) but was not symptomatic at the time. He developed a cough and fever on June 3, he contacted MOH and was referred to Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Seremban for quarantine, one of MOH's 28 designated pandemic influenza hospitals. He is reportedly in stable condition and responding well to Tamiflu antiviral treatment. ¶3. (U) Malaysia's fourth and fifth cases are German tourists who arrived at Malaysia's Low Cost Carrier Terminal aboard AirAsia flight AK702 from Singapore. They were originally seen at Gleneagles Hospital, which is a private hospital near the Embassy and frequently used by Embassy staff. They were later sent to MOH H1N1-designated Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment and quarantine, as per MOH protocol. MOH has asked individuals with flu-like symptoms to report directly to MOH hospitals rather than private clinics in order to prevent exposing healthcare providers to infection. -------------- Quarantine Procedures -------------- ¶4. (U) Malaysia continues its policy of full containment with regards to H1N1. MOH has asked all passengers aboard the abovementioned flights MH091 and AK702 to report to MOH. These passengers will be placed under quarantine and screened for H1N1. MOH informed us that 17 AmCits were on board MH091; MOH says they have contacted 11. The Consular Section managed to contact 9 of the AmCits. 7 had been asked to quarantine themselves in their hotels or residences, though MOH agreed to permit four of them to attend a wedding on Saturday on condition they wear masks. Two others have not been contacted by MOH. The five quarantined individuals in Kuala Lumpur have been told they will be released Sunday; two others, in Pahang, were told their quarantine would end on Monday. No AmCits traveled on flight AK702. ¶5. (U) Permitting those in close contact with infected individuals to undergo quarantine in their hotel or with their local hosts rather than undergo hospital quarantine represents a shift from procedures imposed after the previous H1N1 cases. Two of the AmCits, in Pahang, are receiving visits twice a day from MOH officials to take their temperatures. Staff of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur are taking the temperature of an AmCit quarantined there. The hotel expenses remain the responsibility of the individual but MOH will admit them to hospital at MOH expense if they prefer. KUALA LUMP 00000446 002 OF 002 -------------- Pork Ban Lifted -------------- ¶6. (U) Malaysia stopped issuing import permits for all pork products on April 29 under the auspices of preventing H1N1 from entering Malaysia. Post protested this action on numerous occasions and at various levels. The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) lifted this freeze on pork imports on June 3. DVS confirmed this action by phone call to FAS Attache adding that no official statement on this decision would be made. Last year, the United States exported about $390,000 of pork products to Malaysia, with about $27,000 more so far in the first two months of 2009. ¶7. (U) DVS announced that it will begin testing an H1N1 vaccine for pigs. Approximately 10,000 pigs in the state of Perak will be vaccinated with results expected in six weeks. If the vaccine is shown to prevent pigs from catching the virus, a proposal to vaccinate all of Malaysia's 1.7 million pigs will be submitted to the government. So far, 80% of Malaysia's 776 pig farms have been examined. DVS Director-General Dr. Abd Aziz Jamaluddin has proclaimed Malaysian pig farms to be H1N1 free. DVS had previously informed Post that the pig farm surveillance was a necessary public step that must be completed prior to reissuing any pork import permits. RAPSON