VZCZCXRO8808
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHHK #2199/01 1460912
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260912Z MAY 06
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6920
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 002199 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/ANP AND INR/EAP 
STATE FOR EAP/EX, EAP/EP TWANG, EAP/CM KBENNETT, GWARD 
STATE FOR G/AIAG JLANGE, HFOSTER, RFENDRICK 
STATE FOR M/MED ADN M/MEDEX PETER WOOD 
HHS FOR OGHA -- STEIGER, ELVANDER, BHAT 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC 
USDA FO DU/US LAMBERT 
BEIJING FOR DSELIGSOHN, CSHAPIRO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMED ECON KSTH TBIO KFLU EAGR HK CH
SUBJECT:  HKG On Indonesia AI Cases, Business Continuity 
Plans 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection 
(CHP) Controller Dr. P.Y. Leung told Econoff that a 
preliminary Hong Kong Government (HKG) analysis of a 
reported cluster of human H5N1 avian influenza (AI) cases in 
Indonesia found only minor changes to the virus.  Leung said 
that the HKG is waiting for an analysis of the extent of 
contact between individual cases in the cluster.  Unless 
there is evidence that the humans can now transmit the virus 
to others with less contact and greater efficiency, the HKG 
is "not too worried" about the situation.  Leung also 
informed Econoff that the HKG will reverse its previous 
policy and start advising private sector corporations to 
stockpile anti-viral medication, including oseltamivir 
(Tamiflu).  This new policy is part of an ongoing HKG effort 
to encourage the formation of business continuity plans in 
private sector companies and organizations in Hong Kong. End 
Summary 
 
AI Cluster in Indonesia 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On May 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) 
announced that the eight-person cluster of AI cases recently 
discovered in Indonesia may have been caused by human-to- 
human transmission.  CHP Controller Dr. P.Y. Leung told 
Econoff that the HKG had completed a preliminary analysis of 
the virus samples from the Indonesian cluster and had found 
only minor changes in the genetic structure of the virus. 
Although there seemed to be no genetic evidence of a 
mutation in the virus that would allow it to be transmitted 
efficiently between humans, the size of the cluster and the 
possibility that infections had occurred with relatively low 
levels of contact between patients were causes for concern. 
Leung affirmed that as long as there are no further related 
cases in the next three weeks, the HKG will "not be too 
worried" about the situation. 
 
Tamiflu for Companies 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Leung went on to inform Econoff that the HKG is 
planning to reverse its long-standing policy on discouraging 
private stockpiles of anti-viral medications and start 
urging private sector corporations in Hong Kong to stockpile 
various anti-viral medications, including Tamiflu.  Roche is 
now producing enough Tamiflu to meet both government 
requests (including a newly planned HKG purchase of "several 
million" tablets) and burgeoning corporate sector demand for 
the anti-viral medication. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The CHP will publish HKG guidelines for the 
purchase and use of anti-viral medications, including 
suggestions that the anti-virals mostly be kept for 
treatment of pandemic flu cases.  Leung noted that only 
doctors would be allowed to purchase the new stocks of 
Tamiflu; this move does not mean that the medication will be 
more widely available to the general public.  Leung said 
that the HKG is also in the process of purchasing 
amantadine, a flu medication that has proven to be effective 
in fighting H5N1 infections when used together with Tamiflu. 
 
Business Continuity Plans 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) This new policy is part of an ongoing CHP effort to 
encourage private sector corporations and managers of 
essential services (power generation, transport, etc.) to 
develop robust and realistic business continuity plans. 
Earlier in May, the HKG strongly supported a Hong Kong Trade 
Development Council/APEC Business Advisory Council organized 
"Conference on Business Continuity Planning and Disaster 
Preparedness for Avian Influenza."  At the meeting, APEC 
Health Task Force Vice-Chair Dr. Li Shichuo noted that a 
recent informal American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong 
survey had found that almost 60% of the companies surveyed 
had a designated action officer for AI preparedness and 
clearly stated, realistic plans of action.  In contrast, Li 
said, a recent Deloitte & Touche survey of businesses in the 
 
HONG KONG 00002199  002 OF 002 
 
 
U.S. found that approximately two-thirds of the companies 
surveyed did not have specific plans or designated action 
officers. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Hospital Authority Deputy Director Dr. Liu Shao 
Haei also highlighted the importance of having good business 
continuity plans, pointing out that in an actual pandemic 
situation it would take the international community between 
12-18 months to produce enough vaccine to affect the course 
of the pandemic.  Liu said that right now, the most 
important aspect of pandemic planning for the HKG is 
surveillance.  He said that the HKG takes the following 
factors into account when conducting AI surveillance: 
Fever, Travel History, Occupation (exposure to birds?), 
Contact with other patients, and whether they are part of a 
Cluster.  Liu asserted that a properly working surveillance 
system was much more important than building large 
stockpiles of anti-viral medications - "Silence causes fear; 
silence causes harm!" 
 
CUNNINGHAM