MGSF01: MUSCAT EAC H1N1 and July 4

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000643 E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/06/17 TAGS: ASEC KFLU AEMR CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR AMGT SUBJECT: MGSF01: MUSCAT EAC H1N1 and July 4 CLASSIFIED BY: William K. Makaneole, Regional Security Office, DOS, RSO; REASON: 1.4(G) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On June 17, 2009, the ChargC) convened an Emergency Action Committee (EAC) to discuss three confirmed cases of H1N1 Swine flu involving three students who recently returned from the United States after participating in the State Department funded Youth Exchange and Study Program (YES). The EAC also discussed the security plan for the upcoming July 4th Embassy celebration. The EAC was attended by the ChargC),MGT, RSO, DAO, PAO, CON, OMC, IRM, and ECA. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On June 13, 2009, seven Omani students returned from the United States after attending the YES Program. Upon entry into Oman, all seven students passed initial H1N1 swine flu screening conducted at the airport. On June 16, the Department advised AMIDEAST that other, non-Omani YES students had tested positive for H1N1 swine flu. AMIDEAST subsequently contacted the seven Oman YES students and requested them to submit to further H1N1 swine flu testing. During this screening, three of the seven YES students tested positive for H1N1 swine flu. The infected students are currently under quarantine for seven days with their families, and they are all currently taking Tamiflu medications. Officials from the Ministry of Health are monitoring the families and it is reported that they are doing well. The two other YES students left Oman for Pakistan and Zanzibar before they could be contacted. ¶3. (SBU) The Embassy has engaged with host country Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),Ministry of Education (MOE),and Ministry of Health (MOH) contacts to determine the government of Oman's response to address H1N1 swine flu and to determine how and when the public was going to be notified of the confirmed cases. Oman's MOH stated that they are disseminating the information via SMS text message and also through traditional media outlets. The EAC committee agreed that the government of Oman has reasonable procedures in place to detect and isolate H1N1 swine flu in the event of a potential pandemic. ¶4. (SBU) Based upon the current information regarding the three confirmed cases of H1N1 swine flu in Oman, the EAC has taken the following actions: -The Embassy will hold a Town Hall meeting to inform COM and LES staff of H1N1 swine flu symptoms and preventative measures. -Notifications will be made through the Consular Warden System to all American citizens to include ABA and TAISM Schools, American businesses, and DHS personnel assigned to Salalah, Oman and U.S. military and U.S. military contractors serving servin throughout Oman. -The EAC reviewed all Health and Environment trip wires associated to a pandemic flu outbreak. The EAC committee agreed that based upon the information regarding the three H1N1 swine flu cases at this time, post will monitor the situation and reconvene another EAC as additional information becomes available. ¶5. (C) RSO briefed the security measures for the upcoming July 4 celebration. The security measures for this event include notifying the MFA of the approximately 50 COM personnel and/or guests, an increased presence of RSO LGF and SD assets on venue as well as local Royal Omani Police patrols. The EAC committee agreed that the security measures implemented by RSO were deemed appropriate. Note that this is not a diplomatic event, but an Embassy community event. HURTADO