US embassy cable - 05ALMATY2842

UNCLAS  ALMATY 002842 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN JMUDGE, OES/STC AND EUR/RUS NOLL 
ALSO FOR EB/TPP/ATP AND EB/TPP/BTA 
USDA FAS FOR ITP FOR MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP WETZEL 
FAS PLEASE PASS TO APHIS AND FSIS 
HHS FOR WSTEIGER, PBUDASHEWITZ 
BRUSSELS PLEASE PASS TO APHIS/FENANDEZ 
ANKARA FOR FAS ATTACHE HIGGISTON 
GENEVA FOR HEALTH ATTACHE 
TASHKENT FOR ESTH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, TBIO, ECON, RS, ETRD, PGOV, KZ, Avian Influenza, POLITICAL 
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN AVIAN FLU INCIDENT: NO HUMAN CASE, USG 
ASSISTING INVESTIGATION 
 
REF: (A) MOSCOW 9453 (NOTAL) 
 
     (B) MOSCOW 9529 (NOTAL) 
     (C) EMAIL: ALMATY-ASTANA O/I 02AUG05 
 
1. Summary/Background:  Despite serious fears to the 
contrary, the Kazakhstani Ministry of Health stated on 
August 2 that the poultry farm worker from the Golubovka 
farm (Pavlodar oblast) has not/not tested positive by any 
locally available laboratory means for the strain of avian 
influenza (AI) known to be transmissible to humans (Ref C). 
(Refs A and B describe a nearly simultaneous outbreak of the 
virus in Novosibirsk, Russia.)  On August 3, Kazakhstani 
media reported the hospitalization of fifteen people with 
stomach disorders in Ust-Kamenogorsk (80 kilometers from the 
Russian border in East Kazakhstan), all of whom had consumed 
chicken at the same cafeteria before falling ill.  No/no 
diagnoses have been made in East Kazakhstan, and every 
indication is that the illness is consistent with salmonella 
rather than AI. 
 
2.  Six hundred geese died of the virus at the Golubovka 
farm, and the remaining 2,700 animals were slaughtered and 
burned in a disinfection effort.  The infected animals are 
assumed to have been infected with the highly pathogenic 
variant of the virus.  CDC/CAR has arranged for United 
States researchers to assist in the investigation of the 
incident.   End Summary/Background. 
 
--------------------------- 
Outbreak in Pavlodar Oblast 
--------------------------- 
 
3. The week of July 20, a poultry farm in the village of 
Golubovka (Pavlodar Oblast) experienced the deaths of about 
six hundred of its over 3,000 animals.  Golobuvka is 200 
kilometers from the city of Pavlodar and 50 kilometers from 
the Russian border.  On July 29, a 20 year old man who 
worked on the farm was admitted to the regional infectious 
diseases clinic with double pneumonia.  The young man 
reportedly began complaining of flu-like symptoms between 
July 13 and 20.  (Note: There have been reports that the 
farm may have experienced a previous outbreak in mid-June. 
End Note.) 
 
4.  The oblast-level Ministry of Emergency Situations 
declared a quarantine of the affected village.  By August 1, 
all of the animals at the farm had been destroyed.  On 
August 2, the Ministry of Health announced that contrary to 
previous media reports, the young man was not infected with 
AI.  Measures taken by the local authorities included 
plowing the entire area of the farm, building additional 
fences around its territory and sending samples (blood serum 
and nasal swabs from the human patient, serum from the 
birds) for evaluation. 
 
5.  Pavlodar Oblast has also banned the transport of poultry 
across the border in its Irtysh, Kachirsk and Uspensky 
districts, all of which border the Novosibirsk Oblast of 
Russia.  North Kazakhstan Oblast (northwest of Pavlodar) has 
also taken measures, quarantining five farms and banning the 
importation into the oblast of chicken from the Russian 
oblasts of Novosibirsk, Tyumen and Omsk.  Yuriy Puzikov, the 
deputy head of the North Kazakhstan epidemiology service, 
said that "(the) situation in North Kazakhstan is tense, but 
should not give rise to concern." 
 
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USG Response 
------------ 
 
6.  CDC/CAR representative Dr. Michael Favorov has arranged 
for United States virologists from Naval Medical Research 
Unit Three (NAVMRU-3) to arrive in Kazakhstan August 5 to 
develop polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostics for the 
virus and train local personnel in their use. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Suspicious Illnesses in Ust-Kamenogorsk 
--------------------------------------- 
 
7.  Fifteen people have been hospitalized since July 29 with 
apparent gastro-enterocolitis in Ust-Kamenogorsk.  The 
patients all report having consumed chicken cutlets in the 
company cafeteria at a business called "FinAgro" before 
falling ill.  All of the patients are reported to be in 
stable condition, and while the local epidemiological 
authorities have not explicitly voiced a suspicion of AI, 
they have reportedly sent 25 samples for testing; results 
are expected by August 6.  A student epidemiologist from the 
CDC-supported Applied Epidemiology Training Program (AETP) 
is involved in the investigation.  Ust-Kamenogorsk is 470 
kilometers southeast of Pavlodar, 80 kilometers from the 
Russian border and 320 kilometers from the Chinese border. 
 
8.  Although some press reports have hinted at a connection 
between the Ust-Kamenogorsk illnesses and the situation in 
Pavlodar, post notes that the symptoms exhibited by patients 
in Ust-Kamenogorsk are typical of salmonella.  It is 
unlikely that another AI outbreak has occurred in that 
region. 
 
9.  Comment:  Post continues to follow the developing 
situation in Pavlodar Oblast.  The GOK's acceptance of U.S. 
diagnostic assistance is a positive development and should 
help obtain a clearer picture of the outbreak.  End comment. 
 
10. Dushanbe Minimize considered. 
 
ORDWAY 
 
 
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