VZCZCXRO3216
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHHM RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPB
DE RUEHRO #0510/01 0520817
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210817Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3708
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN PRIORITY 0319
RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 1056
RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 6557
RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 1114
RUEHRC/USDA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 4195
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 4337
RUEAUSA/HHS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
RUEHRO/USMISSION UN ROME PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 6266

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 000510 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE AND OES/IHA 
FAS FOR ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL/CLERKIN, FAS/BLEGGI 
FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS 
USEU BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ 
MILAN PLEASE PASS TO TURIN OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR TBIO KFLU ASEC AMED CASC SENV FAO WHO IT
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA - MIGRATORY SWANS TEST POSITIVE 
FOR H5N1 IN ITALY 
 
REF: A. UN ROME 000435 
 
     ¶B. UN ROME 000464 
     ¶C. 05 ROME 004188 (NOTAL) 
     ¶D. 05 ROME 004113 (NOTAL) 
 
ROME 00000510  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  Tri-Mission Avian Influenza (AI) Emergency 
Action Committee (AI-EAC) met on January 20 to review post 
contingency planning and on February 13 to discuss 
confirmation by the Ministry of Health February 11-12 that 
six migratory swans in three southern regions (Puglia, 
Calabria and Sicily) died from infection by the H5N1 high 
pathogenic avian influenza.  EAC members reviewed the current 
situation in Italy, assessed the GOI's preparations and 
response, and reviewed posts' AI education and emergency 
preparation actions.  The EAC concluded that no Italy 
tripwires have been crossed.  Following the January 20 
meeting, the Consular Section sent out a warden message. 
Following the February 13 meeting the Consular Section issued 
an updated warden message and updated the Mission's web site. 
 On February 13, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) 
published a Global Agriculture Information (GAIN) report; and 
Embassy Rome posted a report on Siprnet. END SUMMARY. 
 
AVIAN INFLUENZA CONFIRMED IN SOUTHERN ITALY 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  On February 11, FAS contacted GOI Ministry of Health 
officials, who confirmed that twenty-one wild migrating swans 
died in the southern regions of Sicily, Calabria, and Puglia. 
 Five tested positive for the high pathogenic H5N1 avian 
influenza virus.  Later news reports upped the number of dead 
swans to twenty-two dead, six testing positive for H5N1.  As 
of February 16, the number of dead swans has climbed to 
thirty, with eight confirmed dead of AI.  The areas affected 
are:  Comune of Pellaro (Reggio Calabria province); Comune f 
Pizzo Calabro (Province of Vibo Valenzia); Comune of Manduria 
(Province of Taranto); Comune of Taormina (Province of 
Messina, Sicily); and the Comunes of Giarre and Mascali 
(Province of Catania, Sicily).  The press has reported dead 
birds in other parts of Italy, but test results have not been 
made public as of February 17. 
 
ONGOING SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL MEASURES 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U)  Italy's dead swans were collected beginning February 
1 as part of ongoing AI surveillance and monitoring measures 
put into place since August last year (ref D).  The positive 
H5N1 results were not completely unexpected, as Greek 
authorities had also found the strain in migrating swans. 
These birds are not usually found this far south, but appear 
to have been driven out of their usual habitats by the 
unusually cold weather in northern Europe.  The GOI has 
undertaken surveillance and monitoring since last fall, and 
the response following the confirmation of the virus in dead 
swans has been swift.  An ordinance issued February 11 
established a protection zone for three kilometers (1.2 
miles) from any areas where the dead birds were found, as 
well as a surveillance zone extending in a radius of ten 
kilometers (six miles).  The Ministry's Veterinary Service 
instituted 100 percent testing of commercial flocks in the 
three affected regions, and agricultural fairs involving live 
poultry and hunting of wild birds have been banned.  The 
movement of live poultry in these regions has been banned 
until flocks are tested and found to be free of the disease. 
Once the birds have been determined to be disease-free, the 
meat will be able to move to market.  The Italian authorities 
communicated with the European Commission, which was in 
agreement that border restrictions were not appropriate. 
 
 
ROME 00000510  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶4.  (U)  As of Sunday, February 12, the Ministry of Health 
established two toll-free numbers for general information and 
to report sighting dead birds. 
 
GOI EARNS HIGH MARKS FROM FAO FOR RESPONSE 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  (U)  On February 12, the Ministry of Health's AI Crisis 
Unit met, joined by a representative from the Rome-based UN 
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).  The GOI did not ask 
for FAO technical assistance (ref A).  At a February 14 press 
conference (ref B), FAO officials commended Italy for taking 
extremely effective and rapid control measures. 
 
NO EVIDENCE OF H5N1 SPREAD TO DOMESTIC FLOCKS 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U)  At the FAO press conference, Italian Chief 
Veterinary Officer Dr. Romano Marabelli described ongoing 
monitoring measures instituted in a series of ordinances last 
fall, and stated that there is no evidence that the virus has 
been transmitted to domesticated animals.  Minister of Health 
Francesco Storace has appeared on television several times to 
reinforce this message and assure the public that poultry 
meat is safe. 
 
OTHER GOI ACTIONS ON AVIAN INFLUENZA 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  (U)  On February 9, the Council of State and the Regions 
adopted Italy's Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan per WHO 
2005 guidelines.  It will become official when published in 
the Official Gazzette.  Ref D reports on the draft version. 
Septel on the final version is forthcoming. 
 
TRI-MISSION RESPONSES: 
--------------------- 
¶8.  (U)  In addition to holding AI-EAC meetings, we have done 
the following: 
 
--  The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) published a 
Global Agriculture Information (GAIN) report on the 
appearance of H5N1 high pathogenic AI in migratory swans 
(February 13). 
 
--  The Regional Medical Officer held a Tri-Mission briefing 
on AI January 20, and we distributed the RMO's powerpoint 
presentation to the consulates.  We have placed information 
pamphlets in the Medical Unit. 
 
--  On February 2, after approximately ten starlings were 
found dead on the Embassy to Italy compound at the end of 
January, Tri-Mission management issued a notice advising 
employees how to deal with dead birds found on Mission 
property, at home, or in the wild. 
 
-- The Consular Section issued a Warden Message on January 27 
and updated information on the Embassy website on February 
¶14. 
 
--  The Office of Defense Cooperation participated in the 
U.S. European Command's (USEUCOM) pandemic influenza planning 
conference in Stuttgart from January 9-12. 
 
-- Consulate General Milan and Turin Olympic Games Liaison 
Office participated in a DVC presentation on AI by Denise 
Guild, the Nurse Practitioner in Turin on February 17. 
 
ECONOMIC IMPACT FELT IMMEDIATELY 
-------------------------------- 
 
ROME 00000510  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶9.  (U)  Despite FAO's public stance, the Ministry of 
Health's information campaign, and frequent assurances on the 
safety of Italian poultry from the Minister himself, the 
Italian press reports that poultry consumption has dropped 
from 50 to 70 percent since AI in wild migratory swans was 
detected.  Since October 2005, poultry prices have dipped 35 
percent.  Industry sources claim the economic damage since 
the crisis began totals 650 million euro (approximately 780 
million dollars), putting at risk 40,000 jobs. 
SPOGLI