GABON: FIRST CASE OF H1N1 CONFIRMED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIBREVILLE 000392 SIPDIS AF/C FOR LISA KORTE, DEPARTMENT FOR M/MED, AF/W, OES/PCI, OES/IHB, AIAG E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2019 TAGS: ECON KFLU TBIO EAID GB SUBJECT: GABON: FIRST CASE OF H1N1 CONFIRMED Classified By: AMB EUNICE REDDICK FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Gabon recently suffered its first confirmed case of H1N1 (Influenza A) Swine Flu, resulting in heightened public awareness and the development of a multi-Ministry committee to respond to the threat, while neighboring island country So Tome & Principe remains surprisingly aggressive in their efforts to combat and prevent the pandemic from reaching its shores. END SUMMARY. -------------- H1N1 Hits Gabon -------------- ¶2. (C) On August 6, Gabon publically confirmed its first case of H1N1 influenza in the southern city of Port-Gentil. The subject is a 43 year old French national whose wife is Gabonese. Upon returning to their residence after a holiday which included transit through South Africa, the man took ill on July 23rd. Symptoms required hospitalization and 48 hours later he was transferred to a Libreville hospital, where he has been quarantined since the diagnosis was confirmed by the International Center of Medical Research in Franceville. No other cases have been confirmed in Gabon. Although government sectors had been mobilized after the pandemic was evident earlier this year, a new urgency and greater publicity have led the government to ramp up its efforts to contain and prevent the spread of the illness within Gabonese borders. ¶3. (C) The World Health Organization (WHO) has set up a crisis management unit in the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville),with a surveillance site in Gabon for monitoring the pandemic. They also have placed a doctor, Obiang Eya,a, in Gabon to work with authorities in preparing and responding to the threat. The WHO has donated two kits of protective treatment, 1056 treatments of Tamiflu, and 10 insulated boxes for transporting samples thus far. Gabon has stated they would like to increase their antiviral stock and improve equipment with WHO assistance. -------------- GABONESE READINESS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Gabon has created a committee to work hand-in-hand with public health organizations. It includes members of various ministries to address the need to confront the epidemic on all fronts. Currently participating are the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Tourism, and Ministry of Public Health & Hygiene. ¶5. (SBU) Early Gabonese response was panicked, resulting in a temporary ban upon the sale of pigs in May. Now, the reaction is more measured and built upon existing preventative measures Gabon had designed to respond to the threat of avian flu. The heart of the Gabonese strategy is securing ports of entry into the country. Ferries, airports, and shipyards are targeted for prevention. Currently, surveillance is the main defense, with workers and port authorities being instructed on detecting signs of the flu among the public and workers. The second goal, claims the government, is to collect information at the ports of entry to help contain the spread of H1N1 if it appears, although at the airports, at least, no additional measures are apparent to travelers. ¶6. (SBU) Gabon,s preventative response is similar to other countries,*promotion of measures such as hand washing, good hygiene and cleanliness, and heightened awareness of symptoms in others. The government committee is also conducting a series of seminars to better inform health and port-of-entry workers. -------------- SAO TOME SETS EXAMPLE -------------- ¶7. (C) While Gabon,s response to the H1N1 threat has been reactionary, the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe (STP) has had a comprehensive policy in place since June. Perhaps due to its economic reliance on tourism, STP,s Ministry of Health prepared an aggressive plan before the pandemic was considered global. Given the country,s limited financial resources, their preparedness is all the more impressive. WHO has provided the Ministry of Health with Tamiflu and Sao Tome has requested additional training and medical equipment to confront the consequences of an epidemic. LIBREVILLE 00000392 002 OF 002 ¶8. (C) In a detailed 18 page action plan, STP lays out its strategies for addressing the H1N1 pandemic. In addition to radio and television spots promoting good hygiene, the plan calls for training of workers in the inspection of animals and food and at ports of entry, special instruction for medical lab technicians, and includes contingencies in the event of a single case or full-blown epidemic on the island. Medical stock increases, including enough Tamiflu for 10% of the population, is called for, as well as surgical masks for 25%. ¶9. (SBU) Upon arrival at the Sao Tome airport, every traveler is required to fill out a form stating where they can be reached during their stay, and everyone is required to be screened by a health official prior to entry. Also included on the form is a question regarding whether anyone on the airplane had a cough, sneezed, or seemed ill. The government states these forms are retained for ten days in the event that a passenger is diagnosed with H1N1, so they can contact and minimize the spread of the virus by containing those exposed. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶10. (C) Despite the recent introduction of the H1N1 virus within Gabonese borders, it is not yet considered a significant threat. The only country on the African continent that currently shows H1N1 to be the dominant influenza strain is South Africa, and the relative isolation of Gabon and Sao Tome & Principe appears to have insulated these countries for the moment. However, August is the traditional month of holidays for the expatriate population in the region, and with an increased number of travelers transiting Europe, it seems likely that the number of cases will increase. Local response appears sufficient to address this eventuality. END COMMENT. REDDICK