MGSF01: ISRAEL H1N1 INFLUENZA A UPDATE

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000958 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NIH FOR INTERNATIONAL DEPT FOR OES/IHB,NEA/IPA,AND CA/OCS MED FOR SRINIVASAN AND MCFADDEN HHS/OSSI FOR MARK ABDY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR AMGT, MG, AMED, WHO, IS SUBJECT: MGSF01: ISRAEL H1N1 INFLUENZA A UPDATE REF: A) STATE 41745 B) TEL AVIV 932 C) TEL AVIV 949 ¶1. (SBU) Deputy Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman announced in a radio interview today that the two men diagnosed with swine influenza A/H1N1 in Israel are recovering and would likely be discharged to their homes later today or tomorrow. As of 1600 local time, there are no further confirmed cases, although media reports indicate that at least two patients remain in isolation for observation by the Ministry of Health. ¶2. (U) Israel has upgraded the flu pandemic alert to level 5 in parallel with WHO's action yesterday. Following a meeting with the Deputy Ministers of Health and Defense, Prime Minister Netanyahu's office released a statement outlining the following steps Israel is taking to limit transmission of H1N1: -All those entering Israel will be asked to declare whether they have visited Mexico within the past week, and if so will be examined on the spot. The Ministry of Health will request that these individuals remain at home and will continue to monitor them. Information pamphlets will be provided to all incoming travelers. -The Ministry of Health will increase stocks of medicines for the disease to a level that is among the five leading countries in the world for the medicines-to-population ratio. -The Foreign Ministry will defer official Israeli delegations to Mexico, and Israelis are called upon to avoid visiting Mexico at present. Furthermore, the Foreign Ministry will contact the Mexican authorities and ask that they refrain from sending delegations and tourists to Israel at this time. ¶3. (U) According to the statement, the Ministry of Health will continue to be responsible for monitoring H1N1 in Israel, and will begin an information campaign to instruct the public on how to reduce the chances of becoming infected with the disease and to prevent its spread. The Prime Minister will chair a daily meeting to assess and monitor developments to prepare for additional measures as may become necessary, and relevant officials will be in continuous contact with the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, and Jordan for cooperation on this issue. CUNNINGHAM