VZCZCXRO1162
OO RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHPB
DE RUEHAK #0133/01 0131156
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131156Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2529
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0532
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 1813
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 1292
RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 0788
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0329
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 1466
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 0956
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 2943
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 1478
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 1163
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT 0785
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0558
RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA 0141
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5303
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KIEV 0656
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 6853
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6521
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 6448
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 0062
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0263
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 9561
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
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 1415
RUEHAST/USOFFICE ASTANA 0060
RUEHZN/EST COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000133 
 
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 
ROME FOR US MISSION TO FAO 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED EAID CASC SENV EAGR KPAO TU
SUBJECT:  Turkey Avian Influenza Update - January 12 
 
Ref:  ANKARA 118 AND PREVIOUS 
 
ANKARA 00000133  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  Summary. There are 18 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 continues to broaden 
with the two new cases in southeastern Turkey.  Official 
sources now put at 24 the number of provinces with suspected 
or confirmed AI in birds, of which 11 have been confirmed by 
test results.  Not all of these 11 may be H5N1, however. 
350,000 birds have been culled and a Agriculture official 
told us the Ministry is now planning to cull all birds 
outside of commercial operations.  The public information 
campaign continues to ramp up.  End Summary. 
 
--------------- 
Cases in Humans 
--------------- 
 
¶2. MOH official told us there are now 18 human cases that 
have tested positive locally for H5N1: besides the 15 
previously-reported cases there are two new cases in 
Sanliurfa and Siirt (both in southeastern Turkey).  The 
southeastern Turkey cases represent a continued geographic 
broadening: until now the confirmed human cases had been 
only in far eastern Turkey and north-central Anatolia.  The 
eighteenth confirmed case is the third sibling of the 
original family in Dogubeyazit whose earlier test (based on 
nasal swabs) had come up negative. Now, testing based on 
body tissue confirmed H5N1, as had been suspected.  This 
brings the total number of provinces with confirmed human 
cases to 9.  No new deaths have been confirmed.  There is 
still no evidence of human-to-human transmission. 
 
------------ 
Animal cases: 
------------ 
 
¶3. A Ministry of Agriculture official told us that of the 24 
provinces with confirmed or suspected AI in birds, only 11 
have confirmed test results showing AI.  The official said 
he believed that the cases that tested positive the birds 
did not necessarily test positive for H5N1 (it could just be 
H5). Press reports suggest a larger number of provinces--up 
to 28--have cases in birds. 
 
¶4. 350,000 birds have been culled so far.  The Ministry of 
Agriculture official also told us the Ministry is now 
 
ANKARA 00000133  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
planning to cull all birds (presumably only domestic fowl) 
in Turkey outside of commercial operations.  Separately, the 
Chamber of Commerce called for also culling some of the 
commercial operations' birds, as well as all other birds, 
for an estimated total of 8 million birds.  For the 
commercial operations, the idea is for the GOT to compensate 
the companies, since the companies have limited storage 
capacity and can no longer afford to keep feeding the birds. 
 
¶5. The Minister of Agriculture held a meeting with 
southeastern officials in the city of Diyarbarkir followed 
by a press conference.  He said the map of confirmed cases 
reflects the pattern of bird migration, stressed the 
importance of education people and committed that people 
would be compensated for culled birds. 
 
--------------------------- 
Public Information Campaign 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6. There are news reports that the public education campaign 
has reached all 81 provinces, with leaflets, posters, local 
and national radio and TV, and short films being used. 
There is a special effort to target children and parents. 
The authorities' efforts may often not be via mass media; 
many areas affected by AI are not reached by Turkish 
television, for example.  We have some evidence that local 
authorities are addressing their constituents in Kurdish - 
for example in Dogubeyazit - and this would obviously be 
helpful with those rural citizens who may not speak or 
understand Turkish well.  Our impression is that the 
authorities are doing a good job now of getting the word 
out, and post will seek opportunities in coming days to get 
a better sense of how effective the authorities' efforts are 
at the local level. 
 
¶7. As discussed during Ambassador's consultations in 
Washington, post strongly urges the dispatch as soon as 
possible to Turkey and other countries in the region (e.g., 
the Caucasus) of an interagency and multi-disciplinary team 
to assess the operational effectiveness of Turkish and 
international work on the AI issue here, identify gaps and 
lessons learned, and make recommendations on possible 
bilateral assistance, technical assistance or other support 
in Turkey, as well as in the Caucasus countries. 
 
Wilson