US embassy cable - 05HANOI752

UNCLAS HANOI 000752 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR CA/OCS/ACS/EAP; EAP/EX; EAP/BCLTV; OES/STC (M.GOLDBERG); 
OES/IHA (D.SINGER AND N.COMELLA) 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC 
STATE PASS HHS 
USDA FOR FAS/PASS TO APHIS 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP FOR LEW STERN 
DIRAFMIC FOR WENNER, MULLINS, WYMA. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMED, AMGT, CASC, EAGR, TBIO, VM, AFLU 
SUBJECT: VIETNAM  - AVIAN FLU: SITUATION REPORT 
 
REF: Hanoi 626 and previous 
In Poultry 
---------- 
1.  According to the Director of the Epidemiology Division 
of Department of Animal Health (DAH) at the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), only 7 new 
outbreaks of Avian Influenza, type H5N1 (AI) were detected 
in poultry (in Tra Vinh and Ben Tre provinces) over the past 
two weeks.  Currently, there are 7 provinces that have 
reported new cases of bird flu over the past 21 days (Ben 
Tre, Can Tho, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, and 
Hai Phong.)    The DAH estimates that the total number of 
poultry killed or culled from January to March 27 is: 
450,000 chickens, 790,000 ducks, and 510,000 quail. 
 
In Humans 
--------- 
 
2.  The WHO website has reported no new cases since March 
11th, and continues to report just 28 cases of H5N1 in the 
2004-2005 outbreak.  The following cases have been reported 
in the media with confirmation from MOH and/or the National 
Institute for Hygeine and Epidemiology (NIHE). 
 
3.  False Alarm:  A local newspaper reported that 195 people 
had AI symptoms at the Chau Hoa commune in central Quang 
Binh province, 400 kilometers south of Hanoi.  However, GVN 
officials found that only one five year-old boy who tested 
positive for H5N1.  His 13 year-old sister died on March 9th 
and officials believe the cause was H5N1.  (Because her 
remains had already been buried, officials were not able to 
test for the virus.)  The remainder of the individuals did 
not have significant respiratory symptoms and officials have 
ruled out other cases in that commune at this time. 
 
4.  The Ministry of Health has confirmed two other cases of 
human infection with H5N1 avian influenza:  a 17-year-old 
girl from the northern province of Nam Dinh and a 40-year- 
old woman from the northern province of Quang Ninh. The 17- 
year-old girl has died.  Officials also suspect AI infection 
in a family of five in Hai Phong (also in the North) that 
became sick after chickens on their farm died. Confirmation 
of H5N1 is pending. 
 
MARINE