BURMA: MINISTRY OF HEALTH CONFIRMS FIRST A/H1N1

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000402 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, OES, G/AIAG PACOM FOR FPA USDA FOR FAS/PECAD, FAS/CNMP, FAS/AAD, APHIS BANGKOK FOR USAID:JMACARTHUR, APHIS:RTANAKA, REO:HHOWARD DEPT PLEASE PASS TO HHS FOR OGHA PASS TO CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2019 TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO EAID KPAO PREL PINR, AMGT, BM SUBJECT: BURMA: MINISTRY OF HEALTH CONFIRMS FIRST A/H1N1 CASE REF: A. RANGOON 370 ¶B. RANGOON 253 ¶C. RANGOON 246 ¶D. RANGOON 241 ¶E. RANGOON 238 RANGOON 00000402 001.4 OF 002 Classified By: Economic Officer Samantha A. Carl-Yoder for Reasons 1.4 (b and d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) On June 28, the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed in the local press Burma's first case of A/H1N1 -- a 13-year old Burmese girl who recently returned from Singapore. The girl, who was diagnosed on June 27, continues to receive tamiflu treatment at Yangon General Hospital. MOH has placed the girl's immediate family under home quarantine and is conducting surveillance on the 91 passengers who traveled on the same June 26 JetStar flight as the girl. Embassy contacts report MOH on June 28 allegedly quarantined at Yangon General Hospital five additional Burmese with suspected A/H1N1, and a private health clinic referred three foreigners -- one Australian and two Malaysians -- potentially infected with A/H1N1 to MOH last week. MOH officials have not commented on the status of these additional suspected cases. The UN plans to brief the international community on June 30. End Summary. Burma's first A/H1N1 Case -------------- ¶2. (SBU) According to the June 28 New Light of Myanmar, the GOB's media mouthpiece, MOH confirmed Burma's first case of A/H1N1 on June 27. The patient, a 13-year old Burmese girl who traveled to Rangoon from Singapore on the June 26 JetStar flight, did not demonstrate symptoms upon her arrive in Rangoon. She reportedly developed symptoms, including a cough and fever, later that day while with friends. She was admitted into the Yangon General Hospital (instead of Wei Bagi Infectious Disease Hospital, MOH's designated A/H1N1 treatment center) the night of June 26. The MOH National Influenza Reference Lab conducted A/H1N1 testing, confirming a positive case on June 27. ¶3. (SBU) According to Dr. Myo Lin, WHO Influenza Specialist, the girl remains under treatment at Yangon General Hospital. MOH allegedly home quarantined any family and friends who had direct contact with the girl, and is providing prophylactic tamiflu treatment. Additionally, MOH continues to conduct home and hotel surveillance of the 91 passengers who traveled on the June 26 JetStar flight, Dr. Myo Lin stated. Despite repeated requests, MOH has provided WHO with very little information on this case, Dr. Myo Lin said. The UN, in coordination with MOH officials, plans to host a meeting for diplomats on June 30. Eight Suspected Cases -------------- RANGOON 00000402 002.4 OF 002 ¶4. (C) Embassy contacts at the Yangon General Hospital told us that MOH on June 28 allegedly quarantined five additional Burmese who may have A/H1N1. One individual is related to the affected girl; the others have had no prior contact to the girl, one nurse told us. It is not clear whether these individuals voluntarily sought treatment at the hospital or whether MOH officials discovered them while doing sentinel surveillance. ¶5. (C) Dr. Olivier Cattin, Director of the SOS Clinic in Rangoon, told us on June 29 that there are at least three more suspected A/H1N1 cases in Rangoon. According to Cattin, SOS doctors last week saw one Australian and two Malaysians who demonstrated severe flu-like symptoms. Dr. Cattin referred all three cases to the MOH for follow up (the Australian was referred on June 22; the Malaysians on June 26),since SOS does not have the ability to test for A/H1N1. Dr. Cattin also alerted WHO to the possible new cases. Despite requests for an update on the three individuals, Dr. Cattin has not heard from either MOH or WHO. MOH officials refused to answer our June 29 telephone inquiries, stating that all "official information" is released in the press. DINGER