US embassy cable - 05CAIRO9208

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 009208 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC, AMED, ASEC, CMGT, TBIO, Avian Influenza 
SUBJECT: CAIRO AVIAN INFLUENZA WORKING GROUP (AIWG) UPDATE 
 
REF: A. STATE 202102 
 
     B. STATE 153802 
     C. STATE 181885 
     D. STATE 183776 
     E. CAIRO 07552 
     F. CAIRO 08073 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please handle 
accordingly. 
 
 
1.  (U) Summary:  Embassy Cairo's Avian Influenza Working 
Group (AIWG) met November 8 to review Mission preparedness 
and interactions of Mission organizations with the Government 
of Egypt (GOE) on AI prevention.  Although surveillance has 
detected no H5N1 in Egypt, post continues to work on 
preparedness, particularly as outlined in reftel A.  Mission 
interactions with the GOE have improved Egypt's preparedness 
as well, and Mission agencies continue to assist the GOE's 
efforts to develop a response capability.  End summary. 
 
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Consular Preparedness 
--------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) Cairo's Avian Influenza Working Group (AIWG) met 
November 8 to review the main points of reftel A on Mission 
preparedness and determined the following: There is no 
Tamiflu available in Egypt for private US citizens in the 
event of an AI outbreak in Egypt;  regular flu vaccine is 
available in Egypt on the market;  clinical care in Egypt is 
not adequate to deal with an AI outbreak. 
 
3.  (SBU) In regard to communicating with the unofficial 
American community, the AIWG considered the logistical 
problems presented by a Town Hall meeting, which would 
require a venue with a large audience capacity, and favored 
the use of a warden message as an alternative.  The message 
will discuss what the USG can and cannot do for American 
citizens, and emphasize that the USG is working with the GOE 
to respond to the AI threat.  Embassy has posted an AI Fact 
Sheet on its website and has drawn attention to the existence 
of the fact sheet in an unrelated warden message.   There 
have also been inquiries about obtaining flu vaccine from the 
Embassy.  Certain measures still need to be addressed, 
including quarantine measures, questions about air transport, 
and American companies' contingency plans.  These issues will 
be discussed at the next AIWG and EAC meetings. 
 
4.  (SBU) The RMO briefed the AIWG on recent activities of 
the Medical Unit.  The Medical Unit has discussed possible 
funding for AI needs with other organizations.  The AIWG also 
agreed to develop drawdowns and tripwires for discussion at 
post's next EAC meeting.  RMO also noted that the Mission 
needs training on the use of protective gear. 
 
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Recent Mission-GOE Interactions 
------------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) GOE invited NAMRU-3 representatives to attend a GOE 
interministerial meeting November 1, which was attended by 
representatives from Ministries of Health (MOH), Agriculture 
(MOA), Environment, Commerce, Aviation, Foreign Affairs 
(MFA), and WHO. NAMRU reported that the purpose of the 
meeting appeared to be solely to show that the government is 
united and doing something; however, it is not clear that GOE 
is prepared to respond to AI effectively at this point. 
 
6.  (SBU) ECPO Counselor briefed the MFA the same day on 
USG's AI concerns and activities, and discussed the 
interministerial meeting that took place earlier that day. 
MFA representatives reported that Dr. Magda Rakha, 
Undersecretary at the MOH, is the GOE AI POC, and that GOE 
has drafted a National Plan to respond to AI.  Embassy later 
obtained a copy of the draft plan. 
 
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USAID/APHIS Providing Training to GOE 
------------------------------------- 
 
7.  (SBU) USAID and APHIS have been working together to 
provide funding (USAID) and expertise (APHIS) for USG 
activities supporting GOE efforts to combat AI.  USAID is 
reviewing funding for four requests from the GOE:  Upgrading 
of labs to BLS-3 status (biosafety);  purchase of lab 
supplies;  equipping and training mobile rapid response 
teams, and training for Egypt's Veterinary Service (VS). 
USAID is funding the MOH's program to enhance the capacity of 
17 Mobile Rapid Response Teams through an on-going grant. 
The mobile units will include both veterinary and medical 
personnel and will have the capacity to rapidly enter any 
suspected outbreak area and manage critical aspects of 
outbreak control, e.g., testing, quarantine, communications, 
community mobilization.  National level training assisted by 
NAMRU-3 begins on November 19th. 
 
8.  (SBU) APHIS reports that veterinary diagnostics and 
surveillance remain weak points in the GOE's ability to 
respond to an AI outbreak. It is not clear that GOE has the 
capability to respond rapidly, that it can respond to both 
animal and human contagion, and is able to communicate 
effectively between ministries in order to mount a timely 
emergency response.  The VS and the MOH have not communicated 
effectively to date on AI matters.  To assist with this 
issue, APHIS recently provided USAID-funded training in the 
US for representatives from the Veterinary Service. 
 
9.  (U) UNDP invited USAID, WHO, NAMRU & APHIS to brief a 
joint meeting with other UN agencies, at a date to be 
determined.  In addition, APHIS may request funding 
assistance from the UN agencies for regional training for 
veterinary diagnosticians, which USAID cannot fund. 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
NAMRU-3 Working with GOE, WHO, Saudi Arabia on AI 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
10.  (SBU) NAMRU-3 has been actively providing health 
surveillance in Egypt and the region for a number of years, 
and continues to work effectively with the GOE on wild bird 
surveillance and specimen testing.  To date, the surveillance 
has detected no H5N1 in Egypt.  NAMRU-3 representatives 
attended a regional regional WHO meeting November 29-30. 
NAMRU-3 is also working with local schools to develop AI 
response plans.   Saudi Arabia requested assistance from 
NAMRU-3 regarding its concerns that the Hajj could be 
vulnerable to an AI outbreak.  Public Affairs is working on 
publicity that focuses on NAMRU-3's work with the GOE on 
surveillance and detection of AI, with the message that 
American and Egyptians are working shoulder-to-shoulder with 
high technology to protect the people of Egypt. 
 
 
RICCIARDONE