VZCZCXRO8232
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHPB
DE RUEHFR #1184/01 0551715
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241715Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4548
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DEPT OF DEFENSE WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE 1030
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0049
RUEHZN/EST COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/IHA, EUR/WE, CA/OCS 
HHS FOR INTERNATIONAL BUDASHEWITZ AND NIH 
DOD FOR USAMRIID 
CDC FOR DR. DBELL 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO CASC FR
SUBJECT: CHIKUNGUNYA EPIDEMIC ON REUNION ISLAND - 
HEALTH MINISTER UNDER FIRE 
 
REF: Paris 1103 
 
PARIS 00001184  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: A chikungunya (`chik') mosquito-borne viral 
epidemic in the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion has 
become a serious political problem in Paris.  Health 
Minister Bertrand in particular has been roundly criticized 
for "under-estimating" the epidemic.  In an attempt to rein 
in the crisis, Prime Minister de Villepin will head for the 
French overseas department on February 26, where he is 
expected to announce new measures and significant financial 
help.  The Health and Research Ministries have established a 
task force to define and coordinate chik research programs. 
French medical authorities also requested U.S. military 
medical research assistance.  Assistance by U.S. authorities 
to aid the French in combating the chik epidemic is much 
appreciated.  End summary. 
 
New Facts, Soaring Figures 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) According to the Health Ministry's latest figures 
(released February 23), over 130,000 people (out of a 
population of some 800,000) have contracted the chik virus 
in Reunion since the start of the outbreak in March 2005. 
More than 100,000 chik cases have been recorded since the 
beginning of 2006 and the toll of new infections was running 
at 22,000 cases for the third week of February alone.  The 
viral infection, which hits 15 percent of the population (25 
percent according to some local reports), is usually 
characterized by muscular pain and joint swellings, fever 
and rash and lasts three to seven days. 
 
¶3.  (U) French authorities and medical staff in Reunion 
recently expressed their concern at the evolution of the 
infection and symptoms, emphasizing notably new transmission 
from mother to child, neurological manifestations of the 
disease (meningitis), and frequent relapses among patients 
after a two-week period of remission.  Above all, French 
authorities acknowledge that the virus, initially described 
as "not life-threatening," may be "directly or indirectly" 
responsible for the deaths of 77 people, including children. 
 
Worrisome, Contentious Issue 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Subject to major disruption of everyday activities, 
and confronted with increasing cancellations by French tour 
operators (tourism is an major source of income in Reunion), 
the islanders contrast the strong response underway by the 
GOF to the avian influenza and the relatively scant - they 
claim -- attention paid by "continental France" to the chik 
issue.  A Socialist Deputy generated turmoil in the National 
Assembly on February 21, claiming that the GOF was "paying 
more attention to geese (a reference to the Avian Influenza 
threat) than to Reunionese."  Note: The GOF has spent 
approximately 750,000 USD so far in their response to the 
chik outbreaks.  Prime Minister de Villepin is expected to 
announce more financial commitments during his visit.  End 
note. 
 
Epidemic of Ministers 
--------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) Chikungunya has been widely covered by the French 
press with more and more provocative headlines such as "The 
Government's Strange Torpor." or "The Price of Inaction" 
(Liberation, February 24).  One report in the daily Le Monde 
mentioned that a persistent rumor circulating on Reunion is 
that somehow the epidemic is associated with the actions of 
a U.S. military unit that recently visited the island. 
(Note: A USAF telemetry unit did visit there for the launch 
of a NASA satellite, but of course had nothing to do with 
the disease. End note.)  Health Minister Bertrand, notably, 
has received the lion's share of the parliamentary and media 
criticism over the management of the epidemic.  Reportedly 
"irritated" by his Health Minister, the Prime Minister has 
decided to take the lead on the issue: after the Health, 
Tourism and Overseas Territories Ministers, the PM will be 
the fourth minister to visit Reunion within a matter of a 
 
PARIS 00001184  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
couple weeks. 
 
Increased Means 
--------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) The GOF has announced the provision of extra troops 
to eradicate the mosquito population.  In addition, 3600 
insecticide sprayers will be available to spray the entire 
island of Reunion by February 27.  The Health Minister also 
announced the shipment of extra medical equipment and the 
reinforcement of medical care.  Other measures include the 
free distribution of mosquito repellent and mosquito-nets 
treated with insecticide to categories of the population 
(pregnant women, young children, and the elderly). 
 
¶7.  (U) Meanwhile, the French government has established a 
task force to coordinate research on the chik disease in 
public research agencies and university hospitals.  This new 
entity will be supervised by Professor Antoine Flahaut, Head 
of the Public Health Department at the hospital Tenon in 
Paris, also responsible for the "Sentinelles" network 
(France's flu surveillance network).  The new structure has 
already been tasked to establish and coordinate a 
comprehensive research program around the following themes: 
characterization of the virus; control of insects acting as 
vectors; study of the environmental impact of insecticides 
used in Reunion; exploitation of epidemiological data; and 
elaboration of new therapeutic approaches.  One million 
euros has also been earmarked for clinical research, 
including serological analysis of a thousand pregnant women. 
 
U.S. Assistance 
--------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) During the visit to Paris of Deputy Secretary of HHS 
Azar in January, Health Minister Bertrand sought whatever 
U.S. assistance might be possible to address the chik 
epidemic.  Embassy understands that HHS and U.S. military 
health authorities (USAMRIID) are engaged in discussions on 
transfer of research that has been conducted into the 
disease.  The Embassy very much supports this work and seeks 
- at the earliest appropriate occasion - to assist in the 
dissemination of a press release regarding this cooperation. 
 
 
HOFMANN