TRAVEL ALERT: CHINA 2009-H1N1 INFLUENZA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 064071

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC ASEC AMED CH
SUBJECT: TRAVEL ALERT: CHINA 2009-H1N1 INFLUENZA
QUARANTINE MEASURES


1. The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the
quarantine measures imposed by the Government of China in
response to the 2009-H1N1 pandemic that may affect travel
to China. This Travel Alert expires on September 30,

2009.


2. Current quarantine measures in China include placing
arriving passengers who exhibit fever or flu-like
symptoms into seven-day quarantine. Although the
proportion of arriving Americans being quarantined
remains low, the random nature of the selection process
increases the uncertainty surrounding travel to China.
The selection process focuses on those sitting in close
proximity to another traveler exhibiting fever or flu-
like symptoms or on those displaying an elevated
temperature if arriving from an area where outbreaks of
2009-H1N1 have occurred. We have reports of passengers
arriving from areas where outbreaks have occurred
(including the U.S. and Mexico) being placed in
precautionary quarantine simply because they registered
slightly elevated temperatures.


3. In some instances, children have been separated from
their parents because either the parent or the child
tested positive for 2009-H1N1 and was placed in
quarantine for treatment. This situation presents the
possibility of Chinese medical personnel administering
medications to minors without first having consulted
their parents.


4. The Department of State has received reports about
unsuitable quarantine conditions, including the
unavailability of suitable drinking water and food,
unsanitary conditions, and the inability to communicate
with others.


5. Travelers to China are reminded that all foreign
travelers, including U.S. citizens, are obliged to follow
local procedures regarding quarantines and any other
public health-related measures. The U.S. Embassy will be
unable to influence the duration of stay in quarantine
for affected travelers. The Chinese government will not
compensate people for lost travel expenses. Travelers to
China are urged to consider purchasing travel insurance
to protect against losses in the event they are
quarantined.


6. For more information on U.S. Government policy during
a pandemic, and for travel safety information, please see
the State Department's "Pandemic/Avian Influenza" and
"Remain in Country" fact sheets on www.travel.state.gov
Further information about 2009-H1N1 Influenza, including
steps you can take to stay healthy, can be found at the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control website at
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/ , the U.S. Government
pandemic influenza website at http://www.pandemicflu.gov
, and the World Health Organization website at
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/in dex.html


7. U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to register with
the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the
Department of State's travel registration website. By
registering, American citizens can receive the Embassy's
most recent security and safety updates during their
trip. Registration also ensures that U.S. citizens can be
reached should an emergency arise either abroad or at
home. While consular officers will do their utmost to
assist Americans in a crisis, travelers always should be
aware that local authorities bear primary responsibility
for the welfare of people living or traveling in their

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jurisdictions.


8. Beijing: The U.S. Embassy is located at No. 55 An Jia
Lou Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. The American
Citizen Services section can be contacted during regular
business hours and for after-hours emergencies at (86)
(10) 8531-4000. For detailed information please visit
the U.S. Embassy web site. The Embassy consular district
includes the following provinces/regions of China:
Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia,
Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Hebei, Henan, Hubei,
Hunan, and Jiangxi.


9. Chengdu: The U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu is
located at Number 4, Lingshiguan Road, Section 4, Renmin
Nanlu, Chengdu 610041; tel. (86)(28) 8558-3992, 8555-
3119; after-hours emergencies (86)(28) 1370 8001 422.
This consular district includes the following
provinces/regions of China: Guizhou, Sichuan Xizang
(Tibet),and Yunnan, as well as the municipality of
Chongqing.


10. Guangzhou: The main office of the U.S. Consulate
General in Guangzhou is located at Number 1 South Shamian
Street, Shamian Island 200S1, Guangzhou 510133. The
Consular Section, including the American Citizens
Services Unit, is now located at 5th Floor, Tianyu Garden
(II phase),136-146 Lin He Zhong Lu, Tianhe District;
tel. (86)(20) 8518-7605; after-hours emergencies (86)(20)
8121-6077. This consular district includes the following
provinces/regions of China: Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan,
and Fujian.


11. Shanghai: The Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate
General in Shanghai is located in the Westgate Mall, 8th
Floor, 1038 Nanjing Xi Lu, Shanghai 200031; tel. (86)(21)
3217-4650, ext. 2102, 2013, or 2134; after-hours
emergencies (86)(21) 6433-3936. This consular district
includes the following provinces/regions of China:
Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.


12. Shenyang: The U.S. Consulate General in Shenyang is
located at No. 52, 14th Wei Road, Heping District,
Shenyang 110003; tel. (86)(24) 2322-2374; after-hours
emergencies (86)(24) 137-0988-9307. This consular
district includes the following provinces/regions of
China: Liaoning, Heilongjiang, and Jilin.


13. Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on
security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free
in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular
toll line at 1-202-501-4444.


14. Minimize considered.
CLINTON