VZCZCXRO6930
OO RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHPB
DE RUEHAK #0121/01 0100853
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 100853Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2510
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0520
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 1801
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 1280
RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 0776
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0317
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 1454
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 0944
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 2931
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 1466
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 1151
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT 0773
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0546
RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA 0129
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5291
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KIEV 0644
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 0050
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0249
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 9545
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/39CES INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/BDP INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1403
RUEHAST/USOFFICE ASTANA 0048
RUEHZN/EST COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000121 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USAID FOR TROSTLE, BLANCHET AND CARROLL 
HHS FOR WSTEIGER/PBUDASHEWITZ 
FAS FOR ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL, FAS/JDEVER 
FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS 
VIENNA PASS APHIS 
BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ 
GENEVA PASS HEALTH ATTACHE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED EAID CASC SENV EAGR KPAO TU
SUBJECT:  Turkey Avian Influenza Update - January 9 
 
Ref:  ANKARA 118 AND PREVIOUS 
 
ANKARA 00000121  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1.  Summary. There are 14 human cases confirmed by local 
testing, so far, but no new deaths.  There is still no 
evidence of human-to-human transmission.  The geographic 
distribution of the confirmed cases has broadened to central 
Anatolia.  17 provinces have had outbreaks in birds with 
animal quarantines in effect and proactive culling, 
including 130,000 birds in eastern Turkey.  End Summary. 
 
--------------- 
Cases in Humans 
--------------- 
 
¶2.  As of mid-day January 9, a Ministry of Health (MOH) 
official confirmed to us there are is a cumulative total of 
fourteen human cases that have tested positive locally for 
H5N1 in Turkey.  So far only four of these have been 
confirmed by testing in London, however, local medical 
experts believe the London laboratory will confirm the local 
results.  There have been no new deaths and the MOH said 
there continues to be no evidence of human-to-human 
transmission. 
 
¶3. The geographic distribution of the confirmed human cases 
has broadening substantially to include areas around Ankara 
(in the center of the country) as well as the northern Black 
Sea areas.  According to MOH, the five newest cases (out of 
the fourteen) include one from Van, two from Kastamonu 
(hospitalized in Ankara), one from Corum (hospitalized in 
Ankara) and one from Samsun (hospitalized in Samsun). 
Kastamonu, Corum and Samsun all lie in north central 
Anatolia, between Ankara and the Black Sea, and are hundreds 
of kilometers away from the previously-confirmed human cases 
in Van and Erzurum in far eastern Turkey. 
 
------------------------------- 
More Cases of Animal Infections 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. The incidents of AI in animals are quickly spreading 
across most of Turkey.  Ministry of Agriculture (MARA) 
officials indicated that suspected cases of AI have now been 
found in 17 provinces.  The affected provinces are grouped 
in the eastern, central and north western part of Turkey as 
well as one southern province (Sanliurfa).  In some cases 
there have been multiple outbreaks in individual provinces. 
The Ministry has taken a proactive position on the outbreaks 
setting up quarantine zones from 3 - 10 km, depending on the 
area.   A private sector poultry representative noted that 
the GOT was somewhat slow in reacting to the outbreaks in 
eastern Turkey compared with the first outbreak in the 
 
ANKARA 00000121  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
October in the Marmara region (western Turkey) because there 
are no commercial operations in eastern Turkey.  During the 
first outbreak the private sector played a key role in 
responding to that outbreak. 
 
¶5. The Ministry of Agriculture is taking a proactive role in 
culling birds.  Over 130,000 birds have already been culled 
in eastern provinces.  The government's policy will be to 
completely cull all birds in this region.  In addition, they 
will cull birds in quarantined areas (up to 3 km) in other 
provinces.  The central government has now allocated 33 
million YTL (about $24 million) for compensating farmers for 
culled birds (up from 7 million as of January 6).  In 
addition, local governors have undisclosed funds available 
for this purpose.  One official noted that procedures for 
distributing the central government money have not yet been 
finalized resulting in a delay in compensation. 
 
--------------------- 
International Actions 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. Press is reporting that Iran has closed the Hakkari 
border crossing with Turkey.  The European Commission 
announced that it is banning importation of untreated 
feathers, not only from Turkey, but also from Azerbaijan, 
Armenia, Georgia, Syria, Iran and Iraq and reiterated the 
EU's complete ban on the importation of live birds and 
poultry products from Turkey, which was adopted in October, 
¶2005.  Press reports that the Chief Epidemiologist in Russia 
has urged Russians to avoid travel to Turkey, especially 
eastern Turkey. 
 
¶7. Appearing on television with a Turkish minister, a WHO 
official praised Turkish authorities for their transparency 
and good cooperation between the two lead ministries. 
 
---------- 
Assistance 
---------- 
 
¶8. The Under Secretary of the Turkish Ministry of 
Agriculture provided us the list of requested items which 
the GOT is requesting from the World Bank.  These items fall 
into three categories, which are protective gear, training, 
and incineration equipment. Post is faxing to USAID and 
State Turkey desk.  To date the Turkish Government has not 
made an explicit request of assistance to us,however, we 
reiterate our previous request that Washington agencies 
assess their capacity to response to Turkey's critical needs 
so that the U.S. Government can join with other 
international organizations in dealing with this urgent and 
 
ANKARA 00000121  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
growing problem. 
 
-------------- 
Local Practice 
-------------- 
¶9. Government and IO efforts to address the outbreaks are 
being hindered by a number of local practices and indigenous 
factors.  Because of extreme cold in parts of the country, 
many back-yard poultry farmers have taken their birds inside 
their homes.  Moreover, most of these impoverished families 
are accustomed to slaughtering and eating sick birds - 
regardless of the cause of illness.  Most of the 
government's public outreach efforts have been complicated 
by the fact that the rural populations in eastern Turkey are 
primarily Kurdish speakers and many of these are illiterate. 
McEldowney