VZCZCXRO6441
RR RUEHCN
DE RUEHIN #0193/01 0192136
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 192136Z JAN 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8093
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1715
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0110
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 3094
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4543
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 2983
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 3757
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 3429
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 9616
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 0525
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7542
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 6324
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 7346
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 8888
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 5743
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0981
RUESLE/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 8289
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 4899
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 0354
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 000193 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W, EAP/TC AND OES/IHA 
HHS PLEASE PASS TO ERIKA ELVANDER 
GENEVA PLEASE PASS HEALTH ATTACHE DAVID HOHMAN 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMED AMGT CASC ECON SENV SOCI TBIO WHO TW
SUBJECT:  TAIWAN:  AVIAN FLU UPDATE 
REF: A) 2005 SECSTATE 151549  B) 2005 TAIPEI 3598 
 
C) 2005 TAIPEI 3742  D) 2005 TAIPEI 3713  E) 2005 
TAIPEI 4067  F) 2005 TAIPEI 4264  G) 2005 TAIPEI 
4128  H) 2005 TAIPEI 4160  I) 2005 TAIPEI 4295  J) 
2005 TAIPEI 4645 
 
¶1.  Summary.  Taiwan continues to be H5N1 free and to 
prepare to counter a potential Avian Influenza (AI) 
outbreak.  It has staged large-scale drills and 
distributed information in multiple languages to 
increase the flow of information to the public. 
Taiwan's Environmental Protection Agency (TEPA) has 
trained its staff to handle and dispose of AI-infected 
waste.  Taipei City officials will start a pilot 
program in early February to stop the slaughtering of 
birds at traditional markets.  In December, 
surveillance of wild birds detected the third 
occurrence of low-pathogenic strains of the HN virus on 
the island since April 2005.  End Summary. 
 
Government Conducts AI Response Drill 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  On December 27, the Department of Health (DOH) 
conducted a tabletop exercise for level B and level C 
conditions to fine-tune its response to an AI outbreak). 
The exercise, chaired by Vice Premier Wu Rong-I, was 
held with the participation of over 20 local governments 
to clarify their roles and responsibilities.  In the 
exercise scenario, the central government raised the 
pandemic alert level to "A1" and set up quarantine 
facilities for travelers from affected areas.  The next 
step in the simulation was a WHO announcement that the 
global flu pandemic was in WHO phase 5, and Taiwan 
raised its alert level to "B."  Finally, Taiwan entered 
level "C" as the world was in WHO phase 6.  Taiwan uses 
the following 5-level system for its pandemic alert 
levels: 
 
a) Level 0/Alert: no human-to-human transmission 
globally and no domestic avian-to-human transmission. 
b) Level A1: confirmed cases of human-to-human 
transmission outside of Taiwan. 
c) Level A2: confirmed cases of domestic bird-to-human 
transmission; a laboratory suspected case in Taiwan; or 
an imported suspected case, but no signs of local human- 
to-human transmission. 
d) Level B: one or more confirmed cases of initial human- 
to-human transmission reported domestically. 
e) Level C: Secondary human-to-human transmission 
reported domestically. 
 
¶3.  Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) Chairman Lee Ying- 
yuan, who acted as the commander of the Central Epidemic 
Command Center at the drill, stated that an important 
part of preparation involves strengthening the 
psychological framework of society.  DOH Minister Hou 
Shen-mou reiterated that defenses against AI were a top 
priority of the DOH and called on the public to have 
confidence in government preparations.  The DOH 
conducted a drill for level A1 & A2 pandemic 
mobilization on July 7, 2005.  The officials emphasized 
that Taiwan remains free of H5N1 and is at the O level 
of the TCDC Pandemic Response system.  (Note:  Prior to 
becoming CLA Chairman, Lee was the Secretary General of 
the Executive Yuan and a key player in drawing up 
Taiwan's long-term plans to combat AI.  End Note.) 
 
Increased Public Awareness 
 
TAIPEI 00000193  002 OF 003 
 
 
-------------------------- 
 
¶4.  Apart from this exercise, health authorities have 
distributed booklets to the public, established 
telephone information lines and put up public notices to 
inform the public about the threat and describe 
government preparations to counter AI.  Notices have 
been put up in major parks warning the public against 
feeding birds and mass-transit systems also prohibit 
carrying birds aboard their vehicles.  In order to 
advise the substantial foreign labor component in Taiwan 
of the threat, the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) has 
also distributed a total of 430,000 information booklets 
on avian flu in English, Vietnamese, Thai and 
Indonesian. 
 
TEPA Implements AI Measures 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration 
(TEPA) has adopted measures for disease prevention and 
controls and has stepped up efforts to train staff in 
the event of an AI outbreak.  TEPA officials told AIT 
that at the alert level 0, TEPA is responsible for 
assisting agricultural authorities to clean up culled 
animals.  (Note: Council of Agriculture (COA) takes 
charge of handling all the dead birds at all levels and 
most of the infected animals would be cremated unless a 
large number of animals need to be destroyed in which 
case they would be buried.)  At A1, A2 and B levels, in 
addition to assisting COA in handling dead birds, TEPA 
is responsible for monitoring and assisting health 
institutions in handling infected waste material; at 
the C level, TEPA would take over the task of handling 
all the waste material discharged by infected AI 
patients.  TEPA has strengthened staff training in 
procedures for protecting workers while handling 
infected waste.  TEPA has purchased 4,000 suits of 
protective gear for use when managing infected waste. 
TEPA told AIT that these suits are for the use of the 
approximately 1,000 front-line TEPA workers who would 
respond in the event of an AI outbreak.  TEPA has also 
established a toll free telephone number urging the 
public to report any suspicious materials. 
 
Traditional Markets to Stop Slaughtering Birds on Site 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶6.  In an effort to curb the spread of viruses, the 
Taipei City Government plans to stop the slaughtering 
of chickens at traditional markets.  Ten stalls at Nan 
Men Market will begin the trial program after the Lunar 
New Year (which commences on January 28).  Each stall 
will receive subsidies for purchasing freezers.  The 
Taipei City government is trying to convince people 
that freshly killed poultry at the traditional market 
may not be healthy, and that people should look for a 
label with a health certificate when purchasing poultry 
meat.  There are more than 300 COA workers monitoring 
the operations of the slaughterhouses. 
 
Low Pathogenic Strains of HN Viruses Found for Third Time 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
TAIPEI 00000193  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶7.  In routine fecal sampling by Taiwan's Wild Bird 
Federation and COA on Dec. 14, the H5N2 and H7N3 
viruses - low pathogenic strains of the HN family of 
viruses - were found for the second time in the Guandu 
marshlands in northern Taiwan.  The H7N3 virus was 
previously found in Guandu in April 2005 and was also 
found in marshlands near Tainan in Southern Taiwan in 
November 2005.  COA has warned the public to take extra 
precautions in the upcoming January to March flu 
season. 
 
Paal