AUSTRIA H1N1 UPDATE: SEVENTH CASE CONFIRMED, BUT NO ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

UNCLAS VIENNA 000733

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CE
STATE FOR OES/IHB
STATE FOR AID/GH/HIDN
USDA PASS TO APHIS
HHS PASS TO CDC
HHS FOR OGHA


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU TBIO ECON ASEC CASC KFLO KPAO PREL MG AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA H1N1 UPDATE: SEVENTH CASE CONFIRMED, BUT NO
ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

REF: VIENNA 5191.


1. Austrian authorities report seven total H1N1 cases since the
outbreak of the epidemic. Director for Public Health Hubert Hrabcik
confirmed the seventh case, a woman from Salzburg who had returned
from a visit to the U.S. Health authorities said that her case is
"mild" and she is responding well to medication. As a
precautionary measure, Austrian authorities treated all other
passengers on the flight with "Tamiflu."


2. Although the first H1N1 case in April involved a passenger
traveling through Mexico (reftel),five cases involved persons
infected traveling from the U.S. to Austria, while one case was an
in-country transmission. So far, all cases have had a full health
recovery.


3. To contain any spread of H1N1, the Ministry of Health issued an
ordinance on June 6 requiring airlines to forward to health
authorities all passenger data for direct flights between the
U.S./Canada and Austria (there are no direct flights between Austria
and Mexico). All passengers are required to fill in their contact
data in "Passenger Location Cards." Authorities delete these data
after two weeks. Additionally, passengers traveling to or from
highly infected regions receive H1N1 information material at
airports and from travel agents, in which they are encouraged to
self-report any influenza symptoms they have themselves or observe
on the plane.


4. Despite WHO's decision to raise the pandemic warning level,
Austrian health authorities remain unperturbed. Hrabcik said that
as long as there are only "singular" cases in Europe and Austria,
there is no need to set additional measures beyond registration and
information obligations. Health Ministry spokeswoman Sigrid
Rosenberger said that the Ministry's experts are implementing the
national Pandemic Plan. In the current phase, a crisis committee
has made preparations for a rapid deployment of influenza
vaccinations and a treatment infrastructure for infected persons.
Vaccines would be ordered only following a WHO recommendation.


5. Austria concluded a pre-contract with the U.S. pharmaceutical
company Baxter to supply 16 million vaccine doses. Baxter recently
announced that they have completed all H1N1 tests and begun vaccine
production in its Czech production facility, with the first supplies
ready as early as July. However, ROSENBERGER reported that the
Health Ministry will not order the vaccine until the regular
influenza season begins in late fall. In addition, the Ministry
also has four million doses of antivirals (Tamiflu),and eight
million masks in stock.
ORDWAY