VZCZCXRO4169
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB
DE RUEHHI #2114/01 2301008
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181008Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3106
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY 1665
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 2967
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 5556
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG PRIORITY 0966
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU PRIORITY 0711
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU PRIORITY 0252
RUEHRO/USMISSION UN ROME PRIORITY
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 1397
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//
RHEFDIA/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 04 HANOI 002114 
 
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 (EBRYAN) 
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 (JMACARTHUR AND MBRADY) 
ROME FOR FAO 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR SOCI VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM - AUGUST 17 AVIAN INFLUENZA REPORT 
 
HANOI 00002114  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
REF: HANOI 1989 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  There have been no confirmed cases of AI outbreaks 
in humans or poultry, despite suspected cases at the beginning of 
August. A 35 year-old man from Kien Giang province, hospitalized 
with severe influenza symptoms, has tested negative for H5N1.  Ducks 
from two flocks in Tay Ninh Province, suspected of having perished 
from AI, have also tested negative for the virus, according to Tay 
Ninh provincial officials. However, 107 ducks and swans in HCMC and 
southern Ben Tre Province have been culled after being identified as 
carriers of an H5 virus.  One chicken, smuggled from China into 
northern Lang Son Province, has tested positive for the H5N1 virus. 
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung announced on August 8 a 
temporary ban on the import of live poultry and poultry products 
from countries affected by avian influenza and upheld the GVN's 
decision to prohibit the raising of poultry in major urban areas. 
HCMC authorities called on district steering boards to strictly 
implement the city's prohibition on raising poultry and allocated an 
additional VND 320 billion (USD 20 million) for avian influenza 
preparedness.  The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development 
(MARD) will purchase between 30 to 50 million doses of avian 
influenza poultry vaccines from Russia.  The Central Epidemic 
Prevention Institute announced on August 8 that it plans to test an 
anti-type A/H5N1 vaccine on humans this October.  The Government of 
Japan will fund the construction of an infectious disease 
laboratory.  USAID and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) held a 
coordination meeting with AI implementing partners, including Abt 
Associates, which will begin AI prevention programs in Vietnam.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) A 35 year-old man from the southern province of Kien Giang 
has tested negative for the H5N1 virus. The patient, known as N.V.C. 
35, was hospitalized after exhibiting severe influenza symptoms 
including extensive pulmonary scaring. The individual had apparently 
handled duck carcasses prior to becoming ill. Dr. Nguyen Van Binh, 
Deputy Director of the Preventive Medicine Department at the Pasteur 
Institute in HCMC, confirmed the negative result to local media. 
(Note: While the initial result of the test was negative, H5N1 
infection is not entirely ruled out. Even in the best case scenario, 
laboratory tests do not reach 100 percent sensitivity, as the timing 
and collection of the correct viral specimen are crucial.  Multiple 
and repeated specimens must be collected and analyzed, including 
tracheal aspirates and, if the patient survives, a convalescent 
serum specimen for antibody testing.  The case in question should 
still be classified as under investigation pending additional tests. 
 End Note) 
 
¶3. (U) The official website of Tay Ninh, a province bordering both 
Cambodia and HCMC, reported on August 5 that ducks suspected of 
perishing from AI have tested negative for the virus.  On August 3 
Thanh Nhien Daily reported that the ducks, from two flocks in Tay 
Ninh, were suspected of having died from H5N1.  Tay Ninh's Director 
of Animal Health, Ton That Han, reported that blood samples had been 
forwarded to the HCMC Regional Animal Health Center for testing. 
According to Director Han, both the Tay Ninh and HCMC tests came 
back negative. Provincial animal health authorities suspect the duck 
deaths were the result of a localized cholera outbreak and not AI. 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Animal health authorities slaughtered 54 ducks in the 
 
HANOI 00002114  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
southern province of Ben Tre on August 10, following routine 
post-vaccination specimen testing.  The ducks, located on two farms 
in the province, tested positive for an H5 strain. Mai Van Hiep, 
Director of the Department of Animal Health for Ben Tre Province, 
reported to Reuters News Service that the ducks, while healthy, were 
culled as a precautionary measure.  Previously, animal health 
authorities culled 53 storks at a theme park in HCMC following 
random tests that indicated the birds were carriers of the H5 
strain. (Note: Despite these occurrences, which were reported in the 
local press and reftels, the GVN continues to maintain an official 
stance that no AI outbreaks have occurred in poultry since December. 
 End Note) 
 
¶5. (U) One of thirty tested chickens, all smuggled from China into 
northern Lang Son Province, tested positive for the H5N1 virus, Lang 
Son animal health authorities reported on August 11.  As previously 
reported, a Washington Post investigative report dated July 30 
claimed that smugglers haul more than 1,500 contraband chickens a 
day into Lang Son Province, one of six Vietnamese provinces along 
the Chinese border, violating the strict ban on illegally imported 
chickens.  Meanwhile, 60 chickens in Lang Son markets tested 
negative for H5N1.  Provincial veterinary officials report that up 
to 70,000 kg of chicken meat and 180,000 eggs smuggled across the 
border from China have been destroyed in recent months.  Local 
authorities report having 1,000 liters of chemical solvents and 500 
kg of chemical powders available to destroy further confiscated 
contraband goods. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung announced on 
August 8 a temporary ban on the import of live poultry and poultry 
products from countries affected by avian influenza.  Addressing the 
National Steering Committee for Prevention of Bird Flu and H5N1 
Virus on Humans in Hanoi on August 8, the Prime Minister called for 
tighter controls on the trading and transportation of poultry, 
further action against poultry smuggling, and the re-establishment 
of nationwide quarantine stations.  The Prime Minister also upheld 
the GVN's decision to prohibit the raising of poultry in major urban 
areas.  (Note: In a meeting with Embassy personnel, a municipal 
employee in the Hanoi Department of Animal Health admitted that 
while live poultry markets were effectively banned in large urban 
centers, GVN powers of enforcement were limited. Dr. Nam commented 
that police officers could theoretically penalize those selling live 
chickens, but this is unlikely because there is no "benefit" (The 
employee said as he rubbed his fingers together in the sign of 
money) for the policeman. End Note) 
 
¶7. (U) Vietnam's Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development 
(MARD) Cao Duc Phat signed telegram No. 23 BNN/QD on August 15, 
urging the implementation of key measures to prevent further 
outbreaks of AI.  The telegram requests greater public outreach and 
educational programs, increased AI surveillance, the vaccination of 
all at-risk poultry flocks by the end of 2006, and increased 
bio-security and inspection protocols for poultry slaughter, 
transportation, and trade. 
 
¶8. (U) The HCMC People's Committee has ordered district steering 
boards to strictly implement the city's prohibition on raising 
poultry until February 2007. The People's Committee also called for 
stricter examination protocols at the city's four quarantine 
stations and increased poultry vaccinations in surrounding rural 
areas.  HCMC authorities agreed on August 8 to earmark an additional 
VND 320 billion (USD 20 million) for avian influenza preparedness in 
 
HANOI 00002114  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
HCMC, including the purchase of additional antiviral medications. 
This decision comes after Le Truong Giang, Vice Director of the HCMC 
Department of Health, announced that the city would need between VND 
100 billion (USD 6.3 million) and VND 320 billion (USD 20 million) 
in additional funding to prepare the city for additional outbreaks. 
All local hospitals and city avian influenza task forces have been 
instructed to prepare for possible cases of avian influenza in 
humans, reported HCMC Director of Health Nguyen The Dung. 
 
¶9.  (U) Local daily Saigon Liberation reported on August 15 that the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will purchase 
30-50 million doses of avian influenza poultry vaccines from Russia 
for use in late 2006 and early 2007. The purchase of the Russian 
vaccines will complement existing stockpiles. This action comes 
after reports of vaccine misuse in several provinces.  Authorities 
in the central coastal province of Quang Nam reportedly had to 
discard 726,000 doses of the vaccine after they expired, despite the 
fact that only half of the province's 2.3 million at-risk poultry 
have been vaccinated. 
 
¶10. (U) The Central Epidemic Prevention Institute announced on 
August 8 that it plans to test an anti-type A/H5N1 vaccine on humans 
this October. The Institute will test the vaccine on two groups of 
volunteers, consisting of 30 and 100 individuals.  The Nha Trang 
Vaccine and Bio-Medical Project Manufacturing Institute in central 
Khanh Hoa province had previously tested five batches of an H5N1 
vaccine made from chicken embryos on mice, guinea-pigs, and 
chickens. Test animals continued to show resistance to the virus at 
forty days post inoculation.  The Central Epidemic Prevention 
Institute's proposed trials will be the first H5N1 influenza vaccine 
trials on humans in Vietnam. 
 
¶11. (U) The Government of Japan will provide JPY 927 million (USD 8 
million) to build an infectious disease research laboratory in 
Vietnam.  Dr. Nguyen Tran Hien, Director of the Central Institute 
for Hygiene and Epidemiology, announced the plan as part of a 
greater GOJ initiative to enhance the GVN's ability to respond to 
and control infectious diseases in humans. The GOJ plans to fund the 
creation of a mobile laboratory, designed for early detection of 
H5N1 in humans, later this month. 
 
¶12. (SBU) USAID and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) held a 
coordination meeting on August 15 with AI implementing partners to 
ensure that Behavior Change and Communication (BCC) programs don't 
overlap in scope or content. Currently, USAID funds the Academy for 
Educational Development (AED) and CDC is reviewing CARE 
International's USD 325,000 project proposal (BCC programs). 
US-based Abt Associates Inc. will begin working on community-level 
projects in Vietnam to prevent and control the spread of AI.  In 
close collaboration with the UN Food and Agricultural Organization 
(FAO), World Health Organization (WHO) and the Academy for 
Educational Development (AED), the USD 800,000 project will work 
with international NGOs such as CARE International and Population 
Services International (PSI) in targeted geographic regions that are 
at high risk of avian influenza outbreaks.  These activities include 
delivering key prevention messages and implementing strategies to 
minimize high risk behaviors, working with human and animal health 
workers to enhance their ability to recognize and report suspected 
AI cases, and developing new approaches for enhancing biosecurity on 
poultry farms. USAID and the new Abt Associates Chief of Party held 
separate introductory meetings with MARD's Director of International 
Cooperation, the Department of Animal Health, the FAO, WHO, and 
 
HANOI 00002114  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
UNDP. 
 
¶13.  (U) As of August 17, 2006: 
 
-- No human AI deaths since October 29, 2005 
-- No human AI cases since November 14, 2005 
-- No AI outbreaks in poultry since the last reported incident on 
December 17, 2005 in Cao Bang Province. (Note: Vietnamese 
authorities have confirmed the presence of H5N1 or H5 viruses in 
poultry in Ben Tre province, HCMC, and Lag Son province. End Note) 
 
¶14.  (U) This update report was prepared by U.S. Consulate General 
officer Alexander Whittington. 
 
MARINE