VZCZCXRO7783
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHHI #0319 0780953
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180953Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7436
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4467
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3308
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5855
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 1387
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0887
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0351
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 1591
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP/ISA/AP//
RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-3//
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//
RHEFAFM/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//
RUEHSUN/USUN ROME IT
UNCLAS HANOI 000319
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, OES/STC, OES/IHA, MED
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (STERN)
HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO OGHA
(WSTIEGER/LVALDEZ/CHICKEY/DMILLER) AND
FIC/NIH (RGLASS) AND DIV-FLU (COX/MOHEN)
CDC FOR COGH (SBLOUNT) AND CCID (SREDD)
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA), FSIS
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC (MALISON), USAID (MACARTHUR/MBRADY) BANGKOK FOR
APHIS (NCARDENAS), REO (JWALLER)
BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE (BROSS)
PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR(BBRADY)
ROME FOR FAO
VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR (ACORWIN)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR KFLU VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE: NEW HUMAN FATALITY IN HA
NAM PROVINCE
REF: A. HANOI 304 B. 07 HANOI 1147
1. (SBU) The Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed the death of an
11-year old male adolescent from Liem Tiet Commune, Thanh Liem
District, Ha Nam Province, approximately 40 kilometers south of
Hanoi. The patient developed symptoms on March 4 after having
contact with sick and dead poultry. According to the Department of
Animal Health, the family flock began to die in early February and
the family ate the surviving, but ill, chickens. He was
hospitalized on March 9 and died on March 14. The National
Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) confirmed the presence
of H5N1 and MOH promptly notified the World Health Organization
(WHO) (though we have heard reports from international health
experts of notification and intervention delays within the
Government of Vietnam). Samples taken by the Department of Animal
Health from poultry in the vicinity also tested positive for H5N1.
In June 2007, a 28-year old female farmer from the same commune died
from H5N1 (ref B). Additionally, Government of Vietnam authorities
recently confirmed separate ongoing animal outbreaks in Ha Nam
province (ref A). Pending WHO verification, Vietnam now has
suffered 106 human infections, with 52 fatalities, including the
last 10 victims.
2. (U) Vietnamese officials continue to report ongoing animal
outbreaks in 11 provinces scattered throughout the country, bringing
the total to 14 affected provinces since the beginning of the year.
Most recently, officials have confirmed poultry outbreaks in Lao Cai
in the far north and Quang Nam and Quang Binh in the central region.
In response, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung dispatched officials to
several provinces to buttress local efforts, which he characterized
to the media as inadequate and complacent.
Michalak