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UNCLAS        ZAGREB 01741

SIPDIS
R 261500Z OCT 05

FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5262
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 001741 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO DS/DSS, DS/IP, M/MED/JCTRIPLETT 
FAS/CMP/DLP WETZEL AND MAGGINNIS 
FAS/ITP/EAMED POMEROY AND FLEMING 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO PREL EAID WHO HR
SUBJECT: H5N1 CONFIRMED IN CROATIA: OVERVIEW OF 
PREPAREDNESS 
 
REF: ZAGREB 1436, 1729 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: Croatian Veterinary authorities 
confirmed on October 26 the presence of the H5N1 
virus in dead swans found in the eastern part of the 
country last week.  The GOC has been rapid and 
transparent in its handling of the situation thus 
far.  This message summarizes the situation to date, 
the GOC response and Embassy preparedness.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
-------------------- 
H5N1 in Croatia 
-------------------- 
 
¶2.  Croatian veterinary authorities detected the 
avian influenza virus H5 subtype in six dead swans 
found October 19 at the Grudnjak fish-breeding farm 
in eastern Croatia.  The H5 subtype was subsequently 
identified on Monday, October 20 and Tuesday, 
October 21 in swans from two different locations 
several kilometers from the original site.  Virus 
samples were sent to the EC reference laboratory for 
avian influenza in Weybridge, England for further 
testing and the results confirming the presence of 
H5N1 were received on October 26. 
 
 
---------------------------- 
Control Measures 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3.  In reaction to the initial finding on October 
19, the GOC implemented various safeguards including 
culling all poultry (approximately 17,000 poultry 
worth 200,000 USD) within 3 kilometers of the site 
where the dead swans were found; banning all sales 
of garden poultry (poultry not raised commercially 
and/or slaughtered in registered slaughterhouses); 
banning hunting of wild birds; increasing biosafety 
precautions including mandatory disinfection-baths 
near Grudnjak and disinfection of transport vehicles 
from production facilities to slaughterhouses 
nationwide. 
 
¶4.  In September 2005, the government established a 
committee to address the threat of avian and 
pandemic influenza chaired by Dr. Mate Brstilo, 
Assistant Minister, Veterinary Directorate, Ministry 
of Agriculture that includes representatives from 
the Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, 
the Veterinary Institute, the Ministry of Interior, 
and the Army.  After meeting with Dr. Brstilo and 
his team on October 25 and 26, the Dutch 
agricultural counsellor reported that, in his 
opinion, the Croatians have the situation under 
control, but that several technical problems were 
identified.  These problems include insufficient 
testing equipment, lack of expertise on AI 
epidemiology, and the need for software and 
information technology expertise for data analysis. 
The Netherlands plans to offer the GOC technical 
assistance to address these issues. 
 
¶5.  With respect to addressing the threat of 
pandemic influenza, the Croatian Preventative Health 
Headquarters (established in 2002 to deal with 
potential anthrax and SARS breakouts) prepared a 
draft National Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan 
(NPIPP).  The plan was developed using guidelines 
and input from the WHO and EU.  The GOC is currently 
reviewing the NPIPP. 
 
---------------------------- 
Implications for the Poultry Export Market 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6.  On October 25, the European Commission voted to 
suspend the import of live poultry from Croatia but 
has not yet restricted imports of poultry meat and 
other poultry products.  Croatian producers exported 
approximately 7000 tons of poultry products worth 
18.5 million USD in 2004.  This sector is one of the 
few sectors where Croatia enjoys a trade surplus. 
According to the Croatian Chamber of Economy, Prime 
Minister Sanader has promised that the government 
will buy poultry from producers should exports be 
suspended.  According to a Croatian business daily, 
domestic poultry demand dropped by 40 percent in the 
days following the announcement that the H5 subtype 
had been found. 
---------------------------- 
GOC and Media reaction 
---------------------------- 
¶7.  The GOC has been proactive in their handling of 
the case.  The Ministry of Agriculture made the 
information public the same day they became aware 
that the H5 subtype had been found in Croatia.  The 
Minister of Health, Neven Ljubicic, spoke to the 
press over the weekend to assure the public that 
while "the alarm about poultry is justified,... the 
alarm about people is exaggerated" and stressed that 
the government was engaged in all types of crisis 
preparedness including potential pandemics. 
 
¶8.  Avian flu has dominated the Croatian press 
since the announcement on Friday that swans in 
Croatia have been infected.  Headlines and photos 
are sensationalistic, but reporting is largely 
factual.  Avian flu has covered from three and 
nine pages in the most widely read dailies and is 
the leading story in all major Croatian newspapers 
and on all TV and radio news broadcasts. 
 
---------------------------- 
Embassy preparedness 
---------------------------- 
¶9.  The DCM chaired a meeting of the Emergency 
Action Committee on Tuesday, October 25 to review 
the threat of avian influenza, discuss contingency 
planning and information outreach, and coordinate 
embassy interaction with the GOC.  The Medical Unit 
has purchased stocks of antiviral medication 
(Tamiflu) on the economy and the RMO from Vienna 
will hold an AI information session with embassy 
personnel on Thursday, October 27. 
 
---------------------------- 
Consular outreach 
---------------------------- 
¶10.  The Consular section has drafted a warden 
message to inform American citizens of the 
confirmation of H5N1 in Croatia and provide them 
with the basic CDC guidelines and relevant website 
links regarding the virus.  The warden message is 
currently in the clearance process. 
 
FRANK