VZCZCXRO4478
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHNH RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHVC
DE RUEHGZ #0113 0530825
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220825Z FEB 08
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6929
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP/ISA/AP//
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//
RUEORDA/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//

UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 000113 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, AIAG, OES/IHA, MED 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH 
CDC FOR OGHA, DIV-FLU, CCID 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP 
HHS PASS TO FIC/NIH 
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA), FSIS 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID 
BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE AND RMO 
PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR 
VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU EAGR CASC AMED AMGT PINR CH
SUBJECT: Avian Influenza Update: One Death Reported in Guangxi 
Autonomous Region 
 
REF: A. Beijing 0585; B. Guangzhou 0043; C. 2007 Guangzhou 1279; D. 
Guangzhou 0047; E. 2007 Guangzhou 1075; F. 2007 Guangzhou 1070 
 
¶1. (U) A Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region man has died of avian 
influenza (AI), according to the Health Ministry.  The Ministry said 
the patient was a 41-year-old unemployed man (surnamed Liang) from 
Xi Xiang Tang District in Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi. 
Liang developed symptoms on February 12, was admitted to a hospital 
for treatment on February 14 and died on February 20. 
 
¶2. (U) On February 20, laboratory tests performed by Guangxi Centre 
for Disease Control and Prevention yielded positive results for 
H5N1.  China CDC subsequently conducted its own test and confirmed 
the Guangxi results on February 21.  According to press reports, 
China's Ministry of Health has notified WHO, authorities in Hong 
Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as some foreign governments about 
the case.  This is the second confirmed human case of AI in China 
this year (ref A). 
 
¶3. (SBU) Epidemiologists concluded that the patient had come into 
contact with sick or dead poultry.  Those who came into close 
contact with the patient are currently under medical observation, 
but have shown no abnormal symptoms so far.  Dr. Chen Jie, Deputy 
Director of Guangxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told 
Congenoff that the government has not begun to cull poultry because 
this case appears to be an isolated one and authorities have not 
detected large-scale poultry deaths in Guangxi. 
 
GOLDBERG