Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LJUBLJANA376
2009-12-04 14:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ljubljana
Cable title:  

SLOVENIA H1N1 UPDATE: SPIKE IN H1N1-RELATED DEATHS LEADS TO

Tags:  SOCI KFLU WHO CASC LO SI 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLJ #0376 3381432
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041432Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7592
UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000376 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/CE
STATE FOR OES/IHB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SOCI KFLU WHO CASC LO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA H1N1 UPDATE: SPIKE IN H1N1-RELATED DEATHS LEADS TO
GOVERNMENT CALLS FOR VACCINATION

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000376

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/CE
STATE FOR OES/IHB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SOCI KFLU WHO CASC LO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA H1N1 UPDATE: SPIKE IN H1N1-RELATED DEATHS LEADS TO
GOVERNMENT CALLS FOR VACCINATION


1. (U) Summary: As of December 4, Slovenia had registered nine
deaths from H1N1 cases, including three who had no previous health
issues. Over fifty people are currently reported to be hospitalized
with H1N1 across Slovenia. The Slovenian Ministry of Health is
using the recent spike in H1N1 cases to urge people to be vaccinated
against this virus, but to date only 40,000 people of the two
million population have received the vaccine. End Summary.


2. (U) The number of H1N1 related deaths in Slovenia rose to nine
on Thursday, after a young man with no prior conditions died in
Ljubljana's Polyclinic. In the course of the past seven days, the
number of swine-flu related deaths in Slovenia has grown from two to
nine. The majority of the deaths attributed to H1N1 in Slovenia
have been the result of serious bacterial pneumonia and sepsis that
followed infection with H1N1.


3. (U) This week Prime Minister Borut Pahor received the vaccine in
Ljubljana and called on people to get vaccinated against the H1N1
flu. Though he had originally said he would not get the vaccine, he
stated that he had changed his mind after meeting with
epidemiologists and Health Ministry experts. Pahor, making H1N1
prevention an economic issue, said that the H1N1 pandemic could
affect Slovenia's economic recovery and that Slovenia can only push
ahead with its reforms with a healthy population.


4. (U) Health Minister Borut Miklavcic stated that while
H1N1-related deaths were tragic, the figures in Slovenia were still
below the international average. He further remarked that there is
currently no need to declare a pandemic or to introduce any
additional measures at this point. He noted that 49,000 doses of
the vaccine have been administered so far, out of the 124,000 doses
that Slovenia had received to date. As a further means to get the
vaccine to as many people as possible, the Slovenian government's
expert-level working group on H1N1 has recommended opening more
vaccination centers in big cities and keeping them open over the
weekends.


5. (U) At post, the embassy has noted an increase in sick leave
taken by local and American staff, and there have been multiple
cases of suspected H1N1 infection within the community. The medical
unit has organized an opportunity for all interested staff to be
vaccinated with the Slovenian supply this week, and the consular
section has disseminated a warden message to the American community
about the availability of the vaccine on the local health system.

FREDEN