US embassy cable - 04HANOI222

UNCLAS HANOI 000222 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR CA/OCS/ACS/EAP; EAP/EX; EAP/BCLTV 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC 
STATE PASS HHS 
USDA FOR FAS/PASS TO APHIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMED, AMGT, CASC, EAGR, TBIO, VM, AFLU 
SUBJECT:  VIETNAM  - AVIAN FLU UPDATE #3 
 
 
-------------- 
CURRENT STATUS 
-------------- 
 
1.  (U) There are currently 58 cases of suspected avian 
influenza in humans in Vietnam under investigation. Of these 
10 have been confirmed as H5N1 in the laboratory. Of the 58 
cases under investigation, 20 deaths have occurred. The WHO 
met with senior GVN officials on January 27th and made the 
following recommendations:  stronger efforts must be made to 
remove the animal reservoir of the virus, human and 
agricultural surveillance must be improved, and protection 
of people at risk (those destroying diseased birds and 
medical workers) must be improved.  The WHO further 
recommended that the Minister of Agriculture (MOA) 
personally chair the interagency working group that has been 
established within the GVN. 
 
------------------------ 
ADDRESSING PAST CONCERNS 
------------------------ 
 
2.  (U) CULLING - PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE): THE 
WESTERN PACIFIC REGIONAL OFFICE (WPRO) OF WHO HAS REQUESTED 
ADDITIONAL PPE TO PROTECT POULTRY WORKERS BUT SO FAR NO 
DONOR COUNTRY HAS AGREED TO COVER THE COSTS OF THESE ORDERS. 
CONSEQUENTLY, THIS NEED REMAINS UNMET. 
 
3.  (U) Culling - Adequacy:  The MOA is now taking more 
aggressive steps to improve culling efforts in Vietnam. 
According to MOA, 15,000 Vietnamese workers are currently 
involved in culling activities in 28 Vietnamese provinces. 
As of January 27th, 3.7 million poultry have died - 80% as a 
result of culling, 20% as a result of the disease. 
 
4.  (U) Human-to-human transmission:  Active investigation 
to determine if human-to-human transmission continues.  WHO 
and National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) 
epidemiologists are now visiting cases and their families in 
rural areas. A study to investigate possible transmission to 
healthcare workers who care for H5N1 patients will begin 
this week. 
 
5.  (U) Laboratory services: NIHE laboratories are now 
working to test the backlog of specimens that developed over 
the Tet holidays. Two suspected cases (now deceased) have 
been confirmed as H5N1 infections. 
 
-------------------- 
REGIONAL COOPERATION 
-------------------- 
 
6.  (U) Representatives from Vietnam's Ministries of Health 
and Agriculture are attending the ministerial-level regional 
cooperation meetings in Bangkok. 
BURGHARDT