VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKG #0025/01 0051815
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 051815Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4106
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 000025 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CDC PLEASE PASS FOR PAUL ARGUIN 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (RBUDDEN), OES/IHA (DWILUSZ) 
PORT OF SPAIN FOR CDC (LFITZPATRICK) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2017 
TAGS: SOCI TBIO CASC PGOV AID CDC JM XL
SUBJECT: JAMAICA:  MALARIA UPDATE 
 
REF: A. 06 KINGSTON 2341 
     ¶B. 06 KINGSTON 2384 
 
Classified By: DCM James T. Heg for reasons 1.5 (b and d) 
 
¶1. (U) Malaria infections (refs A and B) continue to be 
detected with the latest number of confirmed cases standing 
at 192 as of January 3.  The Ministry of Health (MOH) 
continues to fog and distribute mosquito netting to at-risk 
communities.  In addition, the MOH has been assisted by USAID 
which contributed USD 200,000 to the MOH for the purchase of 
sprayers, foggers, and other equipment.  Four Cuban medical 
doctors have arrived in Jamaica to help with the outbreak. 
The MOH reported that the number of confirmed cases has 
fallen to an average of 2 per day (compared to 5-6 per day 
prior to Christmas).  American Citizen Services (ACS) has had 
no reports of any sickened American; however, they continue 
to field routine inquiries about travel to Jamaica. 
Currently, 99 Americans have received the anti-malarial 
Chloroquine at Post (this number includes direct hires and 
eligible family members). 
 
¶2. (C) Poloff met with Dr. Ernest Pate, Representative, Pan 
American Health Organization on January 4 to discuss the 
ongoing malaria outbreak.  Dr. Pate confirmed media reports 
that the number of cases testing positive has been 
decreasing.  He stated that when the outbreak first started, 
12 percent of individuals exhibiting symptoms of malaria 
tested positive.  As of January 3, that number had fallen to 
4 percent.  Additionally, the average number of new cases had 
fallen from 5-6 per day to about 2 per day.  Dr. Pate 
reported that all cases of malaria have an epidemiological 
link to the specific geographical areas reported in refs A 
and B.  The media has reported several cases outside of 
Kingston; however, medical teams have linked their initial 
exposure to the impacted areas.  Dr. Pate also reported that 
surveillance has been heightened all over the island and all 
suspected cases are tested.  So far, no individuals have been 
infected outside the Kingston area although some individuals 
resides outside Kingston. 
 
3 (C) Dr. Pate believes the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) 
should be commended on their response to this crisis 
(although, he also noted that they did not immediately report 
the first case - ref B).  He reported that the MOH has done 
over 6,000 family interviews (interviewing all relatives and 
contacts of confirmed cases) and will soon start 
house-to-house interviewing.  He also stated that the GOJ, 
despite initial hesitation, "ramped up" their response very 
quickly.  Currently, the GOJ is fogging a 2 mile radius 
extending outwards from each source point of infection.  The 
only constraint on the MOH is resources; however, Dr. Pate 
noted that the infusion of USD 200,000 from USAID has helped 
the MOH's program tremendously. (NOTE:  According to Dr. 
Pate, the MOH was the only Ministry in the GOJ to have their 
budget cut last year.  Dr. Pate hopes that the GOJ will 
re-think their funding priorities in the future.  ENDNOTE). 
 
¶4. (C) Dr. Pate told Poloff that he has spoken candidly with 
the MOH.  In particular, he reported to the MOH that "no 
nation that has previously eradicated malaria has ever been 
able to eradicate it a second time once it gets a firm 
foothold."  Dr. Pate believes that this fact has mobilized 
the MOH into quick, aggressive, and relentless action.  Dr. 
Pate stated that if the cases keep falling off for the next 
7-10 days, things "look good."  Both a Cuban assessment team 
and the Caribbean Regional Epidemiological Center (CAREC) 
have undertaken independent analyses of the GOJ's response to 
the outbreak, and both groups agreed that the GOJ's response 
has been good.  At this time, Dr. Pate is pushing the MOH to 
release more technical data to public health officials 
internationally.  While he supports the MOH's decision to 
issue regular press statements and release all data to public 
health officials, Dr. Pate believes that Jamaica could 
dramatically improve their world image by adopting a totally 
transparent approach to this outbreak.  This necessarily 
includes the release of all test results, locations of cases, 
and other data.  For example, the media recently reported a 
"mini-outbreak" of malaria in one of the remand centers 
(prisons); however, the technical data shows that the 
infected inmates were previously in the same region as all 
other cases. 
 
¶5. (C) COMMENT:  Dr. Pate is generally optimistic about the 
likelihood that this malaria outbreak will be contained 
shortly.  He told Poloff that he expects malaria to be 
fully-contained long before the Cricket World Cup comes to 
Jamaica in March.  As reported in ref B, the initial case is 
believed to be a Jamaican who traveled to Haiti to exchange 
"ganja for guns."  That patient claimed to have traveled back 
and forth no less than 9 times.  Travel of this type is often 
undertaken via a small boat with an outboard motor leaving 
the dock areas of the harbor. One positive consequence of the 
malaria outbreak is that the Ministry of National Security 
has subsequently tightened security in this area in an effort 
to reduce the number of boats making the trip between Jamaica 
and Haiti. 
JOHNSON