VZCZCXRO6174
RR RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHPB RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #1885/01 1890341
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080341Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5050
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9721
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0594
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP/ISA/AP//
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001885 
 
HHS FOR OGHA 
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID, AND PASS TO FLU COX AND MOUNTS AND 
COGH BLOUNT AND KELLEY 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, MG, EAGR, HHS, CH 
SUBJECT:  H1N1 INFLUENZA OUTBREAK - CHINA SITREP # 23 
 
REF: A) BEIJING 1816 B) BEIJING 1705 C) BEIJING 1664 
D) BEIJING 1636 E) BEIJING 1596 
 
1151 CASES OF 2009 A/H1N1 CONFIRMED, 1 ACCIDENTAL DEATH 
-------------------- ---------- ----------------------- 
 
¶1.  (U) As of COB July 7, China's Ministry of Health (MOH) has 
officially communicated information about 1151 confirmed cases of 
infection by the novel 2009 influenza A/H1N1. Confirmed cases have 
been detected in 19 provinces and the municipalities of Beijing, 
Chongqing, Shanghai and Tianjin. Of the 1151 confirmed cases, MOH 
reported that as of July 7, 870 infected patients had recovered and 
been released from treatment.  Of the remaining cases, 280 are being 
treated in isolation at local designated hospitals and one case is 
being treated in isolation at home. 
 
¶2. (U) On July 3, MOH reported one accidental death in Hangzhou of a 
patient who was being treated for A/H1N1.  According to press 
reports, the death was due to electrocution in the hospital 
bathroom.  MOH has reported no deaths thus far due to A/H1N1 
infection or underlying complications. 
 
A/H1H1 AMCIT CASES 
------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) Inconsistent and delayed notification of the status of 
Amcits in quarantine or isolation makes an exact daily count of 
cases exceedingly difficult.  As of July 1, the countrywide totals 
for AmCit cases on Mainland China are estimated to be the following: 
cumulatively, over 1700 AmCits had been quarantined to date; on July 
1 the number then in quarantine was 200 AmCits were in quarantine; 
and cumulatively, at least 130 AmCits had been confirmed to have 
been infected by the A/H1N1 virus as of July 1. 
 
 
POST REQUESTS HOME QUARANTINE OPTION FOR MISSION PERSONNEL 
--------------------------- ----------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Due to an increasing number of cases affecting the Mission 
community and TDY travelers to Post, on July 2, CDA sent a letter to 
Chinese Minister of Health CHEN Zhu, requesting permission to allow 
home or post-designated self-quarantine and treatment for all 
mission personnel and family members, and for those entering China 
on official or diplomatic passports. This request also follows MOH's 
notifications over the last week that a portion of confirmed A/H1N1 
cases have been receiving treatment at home.  As of COB July 7, MOH 
has not yet provided an official response to the letter. 
 
 
CHINESE GOVERNMENT MAY LOOSEN H1N1 QUARANTINE MEASURES 
--------------------------------- -------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) On July 3, Premier WEN Jiabao convened the Executive 
Committee of the State Council to discuss next steps for China's 
Novel Influenza A/H1N1 control and prevention.  While not explicitly 
announcing the end of quarantine measures, the meeting outcomes 
included calling to "adjust" control and prevention measures 
consistent with the experiences of other countries.  His speech 
specifically addressed seven areas for control and prevention of the 
A/H1N1 influenza virus, but notably did not mention quarantine and 
isolation. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  At the same high-level meeting, participants also 
reportedly discussed the process of gradually "normalizing" medical 
costs to make efforts to address H1N1 more sustainable.  The 
Ministry of Health is currently consulting with the Ministry of 
Finance on anticipated quarantine costs, with some press accounts 
speculating that patients themselves would have to pay for costs 
associated with quarantine and hospital isolation.  (COMMENT:  It is 
likely that mandatory quarantine and isolation procedures will be 
 
BEIJING 00001885  002 OF 002 
 
 
phased out and patients will pay based on treatments and 
hospitalization received, as with regular seasonal influenza 
infection and/or other illnesses. END COMMENT) 
 
¶7. (SBU) ConGen Guangzhou learned from a contact in the Guangdong 
Provincial Department of Health in the last week that although the 
Ministry of Health has not officially released documents regarding a 
shift in control strategy, the Guangdong Provincial Health 
Department itself already allows patients with mild cases to seek 
outpatient treatment and observe home quarantine, instead of 
requiring that all patients remain in designated quarantine hotels 
or treatment hospitals.  The Guangzhou Health Department contact 
predicted that the Ministry of Health The Guangzhou Health 
Department contact predicted that the Ministry of Health might 
release official instructions to encourage home quarantine or 
isolation by the end of the week. Current MOH instructions do not 
explicitly address or disallow home quarantine or isolation. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Shanghai press reported in the last week that the Shanghai 
Municipal Health Bureau had eased A/H1N1 detection and control 
measures, ending both on board temperature screenings at the airport 
and the mandatory quarantine of those considered close contacts of 
suspected or confirmed A/H1N1 cases.  However, Post is still 
receiving reports that as of COB July 6, the new measures have not 
yet been implemented and existing practices persist. 
 
 
GOLDBERG