TFFLU01: MALAYSIA H1N1 UPDATE - June 5, 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000446

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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
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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

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Confirmed Cases
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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.

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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



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Pork Ban Lifted
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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