VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJA #0033/01 0050810
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050810Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2684
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFIUU/BUMED WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 7578
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0295
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1962

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000033 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/IET, MED/DASHO/EMR AND MED 
DEPT FOR G/AIAG AND OES 
DEPT PASS TO USDA/FAS/DLP/HWETZEL AND FAS/ICD/LAIDIG 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO USDA/FAS/FAA/DYOUNG AND USDA/APHIS/ANNELLI 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO USAID/ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/ABHAT/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH 
PARIS FOR FAS/AG MINISTER COUNSELOR 
BANGKOK FOR APHIS/CARDENAS, RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A 
CANBERRA FOR APHIS/EDWARDS 
ROME FOR FAO 
NSC FOR JMELINE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED EAGR KFLU PGOV ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA - DECEMBER 28 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE 
 
REF: A) Jakarta 13527    B) Jakarta 13370 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. Indonesia has reported no new human AI cases since 
November 12, leading to confident statements by Government of 
Indonesia (GOI) officials of success in containing AI in humans. 
Dr. Rodney Hoff of the Singapore-based Regional Emerging Diseases 
Intervention Center (REDI) paid his first visit to Indonesia 
December 18-20.  The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) arranged to ship poultry AI vaccination samples to the U.S. 
in order to analyze and assess the effectiveness of the vaccine.  On 
December 15, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced plans to build a 
BSL-3 research laboratory to focus on AI vaccination research.  The 
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is making 
strides to announce figures for the number of animal AI outbreaks in 
the informal and backyard poultry sectors.  The Ministry of 
Agriculture has begun to organize monthly AI meetings as part of its 
efforts to deal with the disease.  End Summary. 
 
GOI Declares Success Containing AI 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) After a six-week period with no new confirmed human AI 
cases, the GOI has begun to declare success in containing AI. 
Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari told the English-language 
daily The Jakarta Post on December 22 that there have been no new 
human cases recently and that AI was now contained in both humans 
and animals.  NAMRU-2 continues to receive specimens from suspected 
human AI infections, but all recent specimens have tested negative 
for AI.  We continue to monitor the situation on human cases and are 
trying to determine why there have been no confirmed human AI cases 
since November 12. 
 
Visit by REDI Center's Dr. Rod Hoff 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Dr. Rod Hoff from the Regional Emerging Diseases Intervention 
Center (REDI) in Singapore visited Indonesia December 18-20 to 
attend an AI symposium. He also meet with officials from the 
National AI Committee (KOMNAS).  Hoff told the Mission's AI Working 
Group that he plans to return to Indonesia the week of January 13 
for further talks with Indonesian officials involved with AI. 
 
Vaccines Sent to the U.S. 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Max Coates (APHIS) visited Jakarta the week of December 22. 
He briefed the AIWG and reported that as part of a concerted effort 
to assess the use of vaccination arrangements, he has collected 
samples for shipment to the South Eastern Poultry Research 
Laboratories.  Scientists will then carry out tests on the vaccines 
to evaluate their effectiveness.  The samples for the study are due 
for shipment after the holidays to avoid delays or damage to the 
materials.  Researchers are making laboratory preparations to begin 
research promptly on receipt of the vaccines.  Coates is due to 
return the third week of January to Jakarta as the APHIS/USDA 
representative. 
 
Laboratory for Avian Influenza Vaccine 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) The Ministry of Health has announced plans to build a BSL3 
research laboratory, part of its major objective is to develop an AI 
vaccine.  In an interview with current affairs weekly magazine 
'Tempo' on December 15, Dr Erna Tresnaningsih, Director of Center 
for Research and Development for Bio-medicine and Pharmaceuticals 
said that construction of the laboratory is expected in 2007 and 
that the House of Representatives has approved a Rp 27 billion (US$ 
3 million) budget for the project.  Our contact, Ondri Dwi Sampurno, 
Head of Program and Cooperation, National Institute of Health 
Research and Development (Balitbangkes) confirmed that this is the 
same proposed laboratory headed by Dr. Triano via Jason Rao's 
program. 
 
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 
Statistics for Animal Outbreaks 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) The FAO continues to gather data on animal outbreaks in the 
informal and backyard poultry production.  The organization is now 
successfully sending animal AI samples to the international 
reference laboratory in Geelong, Australia for detailed analysis. 
However, there is still underreporting of AI outbreaks in districts 
with no Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS).  Those with active 
PDS report approximately two animal outbreaks per district per week. 
 It is likely that AI is just as endemic areas without PDS.  Animal 
surveillance and response teams are now active in 75 districts and 
PDS is expected to cover 159 districts by May 2007. 
 
Ministry Of Agriculture Starts Monthly Meetings on AI 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶7. (U) Dr Anton Apriyanto, the Minister of Agriculture (MOA), has 
begun chairing monthly AI meetings.  He is including key FAO staff 
in the meetings and has appointed the FAO AI Team leader, James 
McGrane, as his senior advisor for AI. 
 
HEFFERN