Philippines' First A(H1N1) Influenza Death

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 001338 SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED BANGKOK FOR HOWELL HOWARD AND WINSTON BOWMAN STATE PASS USTR JANE DOHERTY STATE PASS USDA/FAS/OSTA CLAY HAMILTON AND CASEY BEAN STATE PASS USAID STATE PASS HHS/NIH STATE PASS HHS/CDC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR AMGT, MG, RP SUBJECT: Philippines' First A(H1N1) Influenza Death REF: A) MANILA 1108 B) MANILA 1246 ¶1. (U) Summary: The Philippine Department of Health has confirmed the country's first death related to Influenza A(H1N1): a 49-year-old woman employee of the Philippine House of Representatives with a history of heart disease. The death and a growing number of confirmed cases (near 500) prompted the Health Department to declare a low-level community outbreak in Metropolitan Manila and call for a high-level meeting on June 25 to discuss response measures. Post continues to monitor the potential for a wider outbreak of the virus (Ref A). Mission will continue to work with Philippine government and health officials to emphasize an appropriately calibrated public health and public information response to what has so far been a relatively mild influenza virus. End summary. First A(H1N1) Death in Asia -------------- ¶2. (U) On June 19, Asia's first reported death caused by Influenza A(H1N1) occurred in Manila. The 49-year-old female had pre-existing chronic heart disease that was aggravated by the flu virus. The woman came home from work at the House of Representatives complaining of weakness and died two days later of congestive heart failure. In response, the Speaker of the House dismissed all staff at noon June 23, after requiring more than 3,000 House employees to receive flu vaccinations. The week-long hiatus is intended to allow the government to undertake decontamination and sanitation procedures at legislative offices. Work will resume Monday, June 29 though the Legislature is still in recess for another month. ¶3. (U) The Department of Health declared a "low-level community outbreak" in Metro Manila on June 23. The Department of Health characterizes the severity of the outbreak in the Philippines as mild and reports that 85 percent of the near 500 confirmed infected persons recovered after only three to four days of mild illness. The Department will convene a national conference June 25 to discuss and revise appropriate response measures. The Health Department's response is shifting from a focus on stopping transmission and detection of affected individuals to a focus on treatment of individuals at high risk for complications and continued public education. The Health Department has partnered with the Philippines largest mobile telephone network to launch a texting hotline to provide the public updates on A(H1N1). The Department of Health website also regularly posts A(H1N1)updates on its website (http://www.doh.gov.ph/h1n1/). School Dismissals -------------- ¶4. (U) Upon advice from the Health Department, forty public and private schools and universities in Metro Manila have voluntarily closed for 10-day periods to minimize opportunities for flu transmission. To compensate for missed classes, schools will hold Saturday classes, have shorter holiday breaks, or extend the school calendar year. Filipinos and Foreigners Face Quarantines -------------- ¶5. (U) Singapore authorities quarantined all 20 members of the visiting national Philippine soccer team over June 20 weekend after one Filipino player tested positive for the A(H1N1) virus. Singapore authorities denied the Philippine request to cut the quarantine period to five days, preventing the Philippine team from playing the qualifying rounds of the first Asian Youth Games. ¶6. (SBU) Within the Philippines, a visiting U.S. musician was refused entry at the University of Santo Tomas Manila campus last week for not having been in the country for at least 10 days, a government-recommended self-confinement period for persons coming from countries affected by the A(H1N1) virus. Her class has been rescheduled for June 26, by which time she will have met the 10-day requirement (Ref B). ¶7. (SBU) On June 20, the visiting USNS Impeccable and its crew were quarantined and tested for flu-like symptoms upon arrival at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales province. The crew was eventually cleared for quartering and crew change at the port, and MANILA 00001338 002 OF 002 departed as scheduled on June 22. COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The Philippine typhoon season from June to November usually coincides with its flu and dengue season, placing a greater burden on the health system and highlighting the importance of accurate risk communication to the public. In this context, the country will need to continue monitoring the A(H1N1) outbreak and adapting appropriate response measures. However, Mission has also noted an upswing in public concern in recent weeks, some of it focused on visiting foreigners and those with recent overseas travel. Mission will continue to monitor carefully the responses of Philippine government and health officials, as well as the media and general public, to ensure that the high-profile headlines do not overshadow the fact that this is a relatively mild influenza with a very low mortality rate so far. KENNEY