VZCZCXRO5168
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHPB
DE RUEHHI #0800/01 0960217
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060217Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1408
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY 0894
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 2904
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 5479
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG PRIORITY 0870
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU PRIORITY 0657
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU PRIORITY 0221
RUEHRO/USMISSION UN ROME PRIORITY
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 1352
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHRC/USDA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP/ISA/AP// PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-3//
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//
RHEFAFM/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000800 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, EAP/EX, EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, 
OES/STC (PBATES), OES/IHA (DSINGER AND NCOMELLA), AND MED 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH (DCARROLL, SCLEMENTS AND 
PCHAPLIN) 
STATE PASS TO USTR (ELENA BRYAN) 
STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (WSTIEGER, EELVANDER AND ABHAT) 
USDA PASS TO APHIS 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN) 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID (MFRIEDMAN, JMACARTHUR AND 
MBRADY) 
ROME FOR FAO 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR SOCI VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM - APRIL 6 AVIAN INFLUENZA REPORT 
 
REF: HANOI 685 AND PREVIOUS 
 
HANOI 00000800  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  There have been no new human Avian 
Influenza (AI) deaths since late October 2005 and no human 
cases since November 9, 2005.  The Government of Vietnam 
(GVN) continues to report no AI outbreaks in poultry since 
the last reported incident on December 17, 2005.  The GVN 
announced that six million poultry have received 
vaccinations in this first round in 2006, which aims to 
immunize 100 million poultry by the end of May.  The 
Ambassador sent an AI preparedness letter to American 
citizens via the Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City consular warden 
system.  The letter encourages private American citizens to 
consider taking a range of AI-related precautions by sharing 
the Mission's plans and actions taken to prepare itself for 
a serious AI outbreak.  USAID will participate in a World 
Bank joint assessment mission for Vietnam's AI Integrated 
National Operational Work Program, beginning April 19.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) As of April 5, 2006: 
 
-- No human AI deaths since October 29, 2005 
-- No new human AI cases since November 9, 2005 
-- No AI outbreaks in poultry since the last reported 
incident on Dec. 17, 2005 in Cao Bang Province 
 
¶3.  (U) On March 30, state-owned press announced that six 
million poultry had received vaccination shots in the first 
round of vaccination in 2006, which aims to immunize 100 
million poultry by the end of May.  The report further 
stated that more than 120 million poultry were vaccinated in 
the last five months of 2005, which reportedly played a 
crucial role in containing bird flu outbreaks among the 
poultry.  Home to eight million backyard poultry farmers, 
Vietnam has a total poultry population of nearly 220 
million. 
 
¶4.  (U) Separately, local press reported that Vietnam 
imported 150 million doses of poultry vaccines, at a cost of 
USD 1 million, from China.  (NOTE: Post believes the price 
may actually be higher than reported. End Note.)  The report 
also stated that in 2005 Vietnam imported 340 million doses 
of vaccines from China and 6 million doses each from the 
Netherlands and France to vaccinate more than 120 million 
birds. 
 
¶5.  (U) On April 5, the Ambassador sent an AI preparedness 
letter to American citizens via the consular warden system. 
The letter provides information on medical facilities in 
Vietnam designated for care of foreigners in case of an 
outbreak and stockpiling of food, water and provisions.  It 
encourages AI planning by the private U.S. community by 
sharing the Mission's plans and actions taken to prepare 
ourselves for a serious AI outbreak and provides several 
useful websites.  The actions highlighted in the letter 
include staying educated, getting vaccinated,  ensuring 
staff have access to Tamiflu treatment, preparing stockpiles 
of food and water, and developing plans for hospitalization, 
home care and monitoring for family members and staff.  The 
letter also reiterated that the Mission does not have the 
 
HANOI 00000800  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
resources or legal authority to provide Tamiflu to private 
American citizens. 
 
¶6.  (U) Ms. Molly Brady, Avian Influenza Advisor at the 
USAID Regional Development Mission/Asia in Bangkok, will 
participate in a World Bank joint assessment mission for 
Vietnam's AI Integrated National Operational Work Program, 
beginning April 19.  The program will address the need to 
transition from emergency response to medium and long-term 
integrated sector development for disease control programs 
in both poultry and human populations.  There is also an 
urgent need to facilitate the rehabilitation of the poultry 
sector at all levels of commercial production of meat and 
eggs and to ensure food security for small-scale rural poor. 
 
MARINE