This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

080404Z Feb 06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000103 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IIP/G/EA - SPRIETO AND RFHOLDEN; EAP/PD - AEGRIMES; 
EAP/ANP - DRICCI 
 
E.O.12958:N/A 
TAGS: OIIP SCUL
SUBJECT: DVC Request with Dr Rita Colwell, Chair, Canon US 
Life Sciences, Inc. 
 
 
¶1.  PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Post requests a DVC with Dr. Rita 
Colwell, Chair, Canon US Life Sciences, Inc., to discuss 
aspects of Avian Influenza. 
 
¶2. Preferred Activity Date, Fiscal Year, and Quarter:  This is 
an FY06 program, which is requested for week starting March 6; 
second quarter; 6.00pm EST time -- noon NZ time of the 
following day). 
 
JUSTIFICATION OF PROGRAM: While New Zealand has been planning 
for an outbreak of avian influenza for some time, and its 
health officials are among the best-prepared for such a 
pandemic, they would also like the opportunity to converse 
with U.S. officials on current issues related to this 
influenza to discuss latest findings on plans for a possible 
pandemic. 
 
The Current Status in NZ: 
- The Ministry of Health is working with the health sector and 
other Government agencies to ensure New Zealand is as prepared 
as possible for a potential pandemic. It has a national 
pandemic plan, and District Health Boards have local plans. 
- The New Zealand Government, following the advice of the 
World Health Organization, is stockpiling anti-viral medicine 
to help reduce the impact of a pandemic on New Zealanders. By 
the end of 2005 there will be enough anti-viral medicine for 
about 21 percent of the NZ population. 
- New Zealand officials say that if the bird flu virus that 
has broken out across Asia eventually begins spreading among 
humans, it could kill about 3,700 residents. World health 
officials have said the virus has the potential to kill 100 
million people worldwide.  Health officials here believe that 
these predictions reinforce the need to take the illness 
seriously and continue preparations to deal with a major 
outbreak of flu.  The research, published in the latest New 
Zealand Medical Journal, says a flu pandemic could also see 
more than a million New Zealanders needing to visit a doctor, 
placing added strain on the health system.  These figures are 
sobering but no surprise because concern about a pandemic of 
bird flu or a similar type of flu is mounting worldwide.  The 
World Health Organization said last month that up to 100 
million people could die within weeks if a bird flu pandemic 
broke out. 
- The ministry is stockpiling more than 800,000 doses of an 
antiviral drug that could be used to treat 20 per cent of the 
population in the event of a major bird flu outbreak.   They 
believe that (as in the U.S.) our hospitals will find it 
difficult to cope because they lack experience on that scale. 
New Zealand health authorities (like those in many other 
countries) are worried that an avian influenza virus and a 
human influenza virus might mix, or the avian flu virus could 
change in another way, resulting in a new strain of influenza 
virus that could be easily passed from person to person, and 
that the new influenza virus could spread rapidly around the 
world, infecting many people and resulting in an influenza 
pandemic.  This could cause many deaths and could occur at any 
time.   A discussion with Dr. Colwell on recent research would 
be most beneficial to our audience. 
 
¶4. Audience Expected:  To include New Zealand government 
health officials, academics, opinion-makers, policy-makers, 
economists, think-tankers, members of the New Zealand 
Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA), and the news 
media. 
 
¶5. MPP THEME AND EXPECTED AUDIENCE: MPP GOAL 07-04/05 - 
Economic Growth and Development/Environmental Protection. 
 
¶6. NAME(s) OF SPECIALIST REQUIRED: Suggestions (with contact 
details) in priority order are: 
 
a) Dr. Rita Colwell, Chair, Canon US Life Sciences, Inc. and 
Distinguished University Professor, both at the University of 
Maryland at College Park and at Johns Hopkins University 
Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Her interests are focused 
on global infectious diseases, water, and health; and she is 
currently developing an international network to address 
emerging infectious diseases and water issues. 
 
Dr. Rita R. Colwell 
US Life Sciences, Inc. 
Canon U.S. Life Sciences, Inc. 
2110 Washington Blvd., Suite 300 
Arlington, VA 22204-5799 
 
Phone: 703-807-3400 
Email: info@canon.uslifesciences.com 
 
b) Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH 
Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy 
University of Minnesota 
Academic Health Center 
420 Delaware St SE 
MMC 263 
Minneapolis, MN 55455 
[Dr. Osterholm also on CIDRAP Advisory Board] 
 
Ph: 612-626-6770   Fax: 612-626-6783 
Email: cidrap@umn.edu 
 
c) Julie Gerberding, Director, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
1600 Clifton Road 
Atlanta, GA 30333 
 
Ph: 404-639-3311 
Email: jyg@cdc.gov 
 
d) Theresia Lavergne 
LSU Agricultural Center 
101 Efferson Hall 
Baton Rouge, LA 70803 
 
Mailing address: 
P.O. Box 25203 
Baton Rouge, LA 70894-5203 
 
Ph: 225-578-2219 
Email: tlavergne@agcenter.lsu.edu 
 
¶6. POST PROJECT OFFICER: Control officer: 
Christine Vivian 
Office phone: 644-462-6112; Fax: 644-499-0490 
Email: cvivian@actrix.gen.nz / vivianc@state.gov 
 
TECHNICAL OFFICER: Ola Thorsen 
Office phone: 644-462-6015, Fax: 644-499-0490 
 
Cell: 6427-451-2535 
Email: thorsenO@state.gov 
 
LOCATION AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS: 
 
ISDN numbers: 644-939-7519 
Coord. Line for Conference: 644-462-6014 
U.S. Embassy, Wellington has a polycom viewstation. 384K 
 
Please advise soonest.  Many Thanks. 
MCCORMICK