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 STATE 00064071 002 OF 002 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