VZCZCXRO9473
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0945 1100905
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 200905Z APR 06 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2415
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY 0176

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000945 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AF/EA, DCHA 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS 
USMISSION UN ROME 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NAIROBI FOR SFO 
NSC FOR JMELINE, TSHORTLEY 
USUN FOR TMALY 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI KAWC SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN - AVIAN FLU OUTBREAK, Sitrep 2, April 19 
 
REF: Khartoum 2397 
 
¶1. (SBU) Sudanese and international press were full of 
articles in the last day regarding the possibility of 
H5N1 Avian flu virus in Sudan. Some press articles 
claimed that the virus had been confirmed. As of today, 
however, only the existence of H5 had been confirmed by 
special test kits brought from Jordan. A WHO team today 
confirmed that the human case of suspected avian flu H5N1 
is negative. They will begin testing chickens on April 
¶20. 
 
¶2. A representative of the Ministry of Animal Health, WHO 
and FAO representatives briefed a select group of donors 
today on the latest developments. A sober and worried 
looking ministry representative explained that bird 
deaths began in March but were determined to be 
Newcastles and handled accordingly. Several tests 
revealed the presence of Strain A influenza, alerting 
authorities that the problem was more serious. The 
Government sent to Jordan for test kits to enable 
determination of the H5 virus. The test report was issued 
on April 17th. A paper highlighting three areas affected 
was distributed: 
 
(a) Faki Hashim in Khartoum North: Outbreak reported on 
April 1, 2006 with 27,000 birds affected amongst poultry 
holders. Tests were made on April 16 and results 
announced on April 17. All the animals died. Destruction 
of the animals took place over a period of 7 days by 
burning and burying. Limited use of protective clothing. 
 
(b) Soba West, Khartoum: A farm having 35,000 birds and 
known to import chicks from outside Sudan for breeding 
purpose. The outbreak was reported on April 13. 18,000 
chickens died, while a further 17,000 were subsequently 
destroyed. The manner of destruction was rudimentary by 
burning and burying. Limited protective clothing was 
available. Between 15-20 people were involved in the 
culling. Masks appeared to have been the only protection 
used by some and the Ministry representative said that 
due to the heat, many of the workers would remove their 
masks. 
 
(c) Gezira, Gezira:  Outbreak reported on March 25 
resulting in the deaths of 1,400 out of a flock of 3,400. 
the remaining birds were not culled (details were not 
given). 
 
¶3. The government reported that the bird farm areas have 
been closed off but admitted that populations living in 
the vicinity still move around the area freely. Most of 
the farms are small holder units raising between 1,000 to 
50,000 birds each. There are an additional 6 large farms 
raising about 250,000 each. Many of Sudan's poultry 
raisers have imported chicks from Egypt and the 
Netherlands. 
 
¶4. The government representative announced that a task 
force was in place, and a unit in the ministry of animal 
health is fully dedicated to monitoring the situation. 
The government had only 200 sets of PPE and was grateful 
to learn that the United States was sending in an 
additional 300 sets from Nairobi today. The UN does not 
believe that Government capacity is up to the task at 
this writing and from the briefing this appeared to be 
the case. Additional inputs as well as technical 
assistance will likely be required. The national task 
force, with support from the UN needs quickly to get a 
handle on the coordination of the effort so that 
resources offered by donors can be put to the best use. 
The government will likely address the donors at a 
special meeting on April 20.