VZCZCXRO2703
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ
DE RUEHHE #0254/01 0861244
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271244Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1678
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HELSINKI 000254 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USEU FOR DKANAREK 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU ECON AMGT AEMR CASC PREL WHO FI
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA EXPECTED TO REACH FINLAND WITHIN A 
COUPLE OF WEEKS 
 
 
AI ON ITS WAY 
------------- 
¶1. The Finnish government (GOF) is convinced that avian 
influenza (AI) will spread to Finland by migratory birds 
returning north.  GOF says it is not a matter of "if" AI 
will arrive in Finland, but rather "when."  It is assumed 
that the virus will be found in Finland as increasing 
numbers of migratory birds return from wintering grounds 
further south.  Mallard ducks are spending the winter in 
northern Germany and will return to Finland when the 
weather gets warmer, according to Matti Aho, Director 
General, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MOA).  When 
temperatures rise above freezing point, the ducks will 
arrive, and will probably bring AI with them.  GOF 
officials do not expect poultry to become infected due to 
the efficiency of disease prevention in poultry farms in 
Finland. 
 
 
PRIME MINISTER VANHANEN ON THE AI SITUATION 
------------------------------------------- 
¶2. At a press conference on Thursday, March 9th, Prime 
Minister Matti Vanhanen said that Finns have good reason to 
feel calm and should exercise common sense.  He added that 
easy-to-understand recommendations and advice are being 
prepared on what to do if/when dead birds are found. 
 
¶3. GOF and media have stepped up the pace of informational 
announcements and articles for the public as confirmed AI 
cases are revealed in neighboring Sweden, as well as in 
eleven member states of the EU.  Articles with practical, 
helpful advice on AI causes, transmission and prevention 
have been carried almost daily in major newspapers. 
 
PESTICIDES KILLED BIRDS IN KOTKA 
-------------------------------- 
¶4. Despite reports of 22 dead birds earlier in February 
that raised local levels of attention, the GOF reported on 
February 28 that tests on all bird corpses were negative 
and confirmed the absence of the AI virus in any of the 
dead birds found to date.  The National Veterinary and Food 
Research Institute (EELA) confirmed in mid March that the 
birds died of parathion pesticide poisoning.  (Note: As 
this pesticide is banned, officials are perplexed at and 
looking for its source.) 
 
BUFFER ZONES 
------------ 
¶5. The residents of Finland are advised to report dead 
birds to the provincial veterinarian in cases of more than 
five swans or ten other birds, under circumstances where 
cause of death is not evident.  The public is continually 
reminded not to touch dead birds. 
 
¶6. On the national level, protective buffer zones will be 
set up around poultry farms in the vicinity of any AI 
discovery, in order to prevent chickens, turkeys, and other 
domestic fowl from being infected by wild birds.  Measures 
differ between locations: the same level of readiness is 
not required in Helsinki, for instance, as in communities 
elsewhere with large poultry farms.  If dead birds are 
found, the provincial veterinarian will be called, and 
rescue personnel will help if needed in removing the birds. 
Police will cordon off the immediate area and place warning 
signs. 
 
¶7. In addition, a protective zone of three kilometers in 
diameter will be set up around the site, within which 
veterinarians will examine all poultry on farms.  All dead 
animals will be destroyed.  The transport of poultry within 
the zone will be restricted, and hygiene precautions will 
be stepped up: cars and footwear will be sprayed with 
disinfectant.  In a larger area of five kilometers from the 
site, limitations on the movement of poultry will be 
imposed.  Dead birds will be incinerated, or in the event 
of massive numbers, they could also be buried at landfill 
dumps.  If there are many infected birds, and an epidemic 
is suspected, vaccination of domesticated birds might be 
considered. 
 
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE DECREE 
------------------------------ 
¶8. Farmers have been mandated to keep domestic poultry 
indoors from March 3 until May 31, with the provision that 
this may be extended if necessary, as a precautionary 
measure.  On February 28, 2006, MOA brought forward a 
decree ordering that all poultry in areas at risk should be 
 
HELSINKI 00000254  002 OF 003 
 
 
kept inside.  Areas at risk include 160 communities, 
including the Aland Islands, which receive large numbers of 
water fowl during bird migration each spring.  The ministry 
also expanded the list of risk areas to include a number of 
poultry breeding areas in Ostrobothnia, Southwest Finland 
and Savo.  The regulations were originally to have taken 
effect on March 15th, however implementation was begun 
earlier to allow the precautions to be in place before the 
spring migration begins.  The MOA's guidelines include 
detailed instructions to veterinary professionals on how to 
protect themselves from birds carrying the virus. 
 
¶9. The ban on outdoor poultry will not cause much havoc 
since most birds are kept indoors during the winter months 
in Finland, with the exception of some ostriches and 
pheasants.  Provincial veterinarians will be allowed to 
grant permission to deviate from the orders to keep birds 
indoors only in exceptional situations.  This could take 
place if keeping the birds indoors would significantly hurt 
their well-being. 
 
AVIAN INFLUENZA HOTLINE 
----------------------- 
¶10. An AI hotline began operating on February 21.  GOF set 
up the service to alleviate fears over the spread of the 
H5N1 virus.  The staff of the MOA as well that of the 
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MoSAH) gives updated 
information on AI on 0800-02277, Monday through Friday 
10.00 AM - 06.00 PM.  Questions can also be sent by e-mail 
to the address lintuinfluenssa@mmm.fi.  More information 
about AI can be found on various authorities' web sites on 
the Internet: MOA: www.mmm.fi/lintuinfluenssa ; EELA: 
www.eela.fi ; MoSAH: www.stm.fi , National Public Health 
Institute KTL:  www.ktl.fi and National Food Agency, 
Finland: www.elintarvikevirasto.fi . 
 
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AVIAN INFLUENZA DRILL 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶11. The MOA released the results of a drill held on March 9 
to test GOF officials' readiness for handling AI and aimed 
at testing how well different officials would work together 
in an outbreak of AI.  The Government and several ministry 
officials tested both decision-making and communications in 
the case of an emergency.  During the drill, officials 
practiced responding to a situation where the AI disease is 
found in both wild birds and poultry in Finland.  In the 
scenario, hundreds of dead geese were found at a trailer 
park in a coastal area of West Finland.  On the same 
evening, a poultry farm in the west of Finland reported a 
number of bird deaths, shortly after birds had been 
transported from the farm for slaughter.  In the simulated 
exercise, all birds on the farm were "destroyed," and a 
three-kilometer quarantine zone was set up around the farm; 
under the regulations, birds cannot be moved to or from 
poultry farms within the zone. 
 
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES 
---------------------- 
¶12.  The largest landfill in the Helsinki area, at Ammassuo 
in Espoo, will be covered by a large mesh fence to keep 
seagulls away.  It is estimated that up to about 10,000 
seagulls visit the Ammassuo landfill on a daily basis.  A 
key aim of the planned cage is to protect people working at 
the landfill against birds that might be infected by AI. 
Officials at the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV) 
emphasize that fears of AI are not the only reason for the 
move; seagulls are an annual problem at the dump.  They can 
spread salmonella and cause other types of hygiene problems 
as well.  A cage suspended by poles and cables about 20 
meters high is to be set up on top of the landfill.  Plans 
are to put it up in April and May before the seagull 
migration. 
 
¶13. Retail traders in Finland are being urged to prevent 
birds from settling on shopping carts which are left 
outside shops and stores by staff and customers.  The 
Finnish Food Marketing Association has asked stores to be 
more vigilant in an attempt to reduce the risk of AI and 
food contamination.  Retailers are also being told they 
should ensure that birds do not enter food stores through 
windows or storage areas. 
 
THE NATIONAL INFLUENZA PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS PLAN 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶14. The National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan was 
released on March 15, one week later than earlier 
announced.  A shorter version of the plan (in English) can 
 
HELSINKI 00000254  003 OF 003 
 
 
be found on MoSAH webpage: "Finnish National Preparedness 
Plan for an Influenza Epidemic" 
http://www.stm.fi/Resource.phx/vastt/tervh/li ntuflunssa/kie 
liversiot.htx 
 
¶15. A key objective of the plan is to ensure equal services 
to the population in different areas of the country even in 
the exceptional conditions of a pandemic, although 
organization and implementation may differ from region to 
region.  MoSAH has plans to vaccinate all Finns if a 
pandemic of bird flu breaks out.  However, the question of 
who gets inoculated first depends on the seriousness of the 
situation. 
 
¶16. According to the preparedness plan, first in line for 
the vaccine will be health care personnel caring for 
patients who have caught the disease.  If the pandemic 
proves to be as serious as the Spanish Flu in 1918, 
inoculations of the whole population would begin, starting 
with the youngest, and proceeding to older age groups. 
Babies as young as six months could be given the shots.  If 
the pandemic is of a moderate type, such as the Asian Flu 
of 1957, or the Hong Kong Flu of 1968, the first to get the 
vaccine would be those aged 65 and over, as well as those 
considered at risk because of existing ailments. 
 
¶17.  The National Emergency Supply Agency has 1.3 million 
doses of the Tamiflu influenza medication in stock as well 
as the same medication, oseltamivir phosphate, in powdered 
bulk form.  The target set by the preparedness plan is that 
during a pandemic, anyone infected would be treated within 
48 hours. 
 
¶18. The Council of State has further decided that in order 
to test the appropriate operation of the government 
management systems a pandemic exercise will be organized on 
April 20, 2006.  Additionally, at the end of 2006, when the 
update of provincial plans has been completed, their 
appropriateness will be tested through an exercise 
specifically designed for assessing the operation of 
Provincial Offices and regional levels of different 
administrative sectors.  Based on lessons learned from this 
exercise, the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness plan 
will be updated as appropriate, and the revised plan will 
be tested in a national preparedness exercise to be 
organized during 2007. 
 
FINLAND ORDERS 5.2 MILLION H5N1 VACCINE DOSES 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶19. On Thursday 3/23/2006 the Finnish National Public 
Health Institute (KTL) signed an agreement to buy 5.2 
million vaccine doses for AI, enough to cover the entire 
population.  The order, from the Dutch group Solvay 
Pharmaceuticals, will cost 20.8 million euros (25 million 
dollars).  The vaccine production is planned to start in the 
fall, with the clinical testing to establish the vaccine's 
exact formula and dosage to be carried out in Finland in 
the coming months. 
 
¶20. In addition, KTL has made an advance reservation deal 
with Solvay to buy 5.5 million doses of a more targeted AI 
vaccine.  However, that vaccine cannot be developed until 
an actual pandemic would break out. 
 
WARE