VZCZCXRO2385
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHMD #3086 3561023
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221023Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1504
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 2306
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0833

UNCLAS MADRID 003086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/AIAG AND EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED AMGT KFLU PREL SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN:  AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE 
 
REF: MADRID 2877 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Spanish Deputy Health Minister Fernando Puig told 
the DCM December 7 that he believed that the threat of Avian 
Influenza had been exaggerated and that the health systems in 
place in the developed world, including in Spain, should be 
able to contain and limit the impact of any future outbreak 
of Bird Flu. 
 
¶2.  (U)  On December 19, Spanish Health Minister Elena 
Salgado, the coordinator of Spain's inter-ministerial Avian 
Influenza "National Executive Committee,"  released a 
communique underscoring the serious nature of the threat of 
Avian Influenza and outlining recent steps taken by the 
National Executive Committee to meet the threat.  In the 
communique, Salgado is quoted saying that "the H5N1 virus 
continues to be a cause for concern for human health because 
the risk of efficient human-to-human transmission remains and 
could cause a pandemic."  As a result, Salgado added "our 
message regarding the risk assessment has not changed; it is 
still impossible to predict when the H5N1 virus will acquire 
the ability to be efficiently transmitted between humans, or 
even whether this circumstance (i.e., efficient 
human-to-human transmission) will even occur."  "It could 
take years, but it is fundamental that we maintain active 
warning systems and that our response plans be ready for 
activation at any time."  Developments highlighted in 
Salgado's press release included: 
 
--  By early January 2007, Spain would have on hand the 10 
million antiviral treatments that it had ordered in early 
¶2006. 
 
--  Spain's Avian Influenza National Preparation and Response 
Plan conforms with WHO recommendations and Spain remains in 
constant contact with the WHO and EU regarding Avian 
Influenza issues. 
 
--  Spain has adopted the Avian Flu-related elements of the 
WHO's new International Health Rules. 
 
--  Spain's regions, which have responsibility for 
implementing health policy, have all adopted regional Avian 
Influenza preparedness plans. 
 
--  These regional plans include detailed procedures on 
detection, treatment, antiviral administration, emergency 
response, etc. 
 
¶3.  (U)  Salgado also underscored that the European Center 
for Disease Control had evaluated Spain's Avian Influenza 
planning in October and had given Spain "very positive" marks 
on both the national and regional levels.  She said that the 
evaluation had also noted that Spain's plans mesh well with 
those of the EU and WHO. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Salgado's remarks and the Avian 
Influenza National Executive Committee's communique 
demonstrate that GOS officials, in their public statements, 
continue to take quite seriously the threat of Avian 
Influenza.  Spanish Avian Influenza planning has been 
effective and does indeed, to the best of our knowledge, 
conform with WHO and EU guidelines.  Puig's remarks to the 
DCM, however, illustrate that many senior GOS health 
officials believe that the threat of Avian Influenza has been 
exaggerated.  This theme of "exaggerated threat" has been a 
constant feature in Madrid ESTHOFF's interactions with GOS 
health officials on Avian Influenza.  But we have seen no 
signs that these private doubts have led Spain to lower it 
public Avian Influenza policy guard. 
AGUIRRE