VZCZCXRO6161
RR RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHVC
DE RUEHGZ #0119/01 0560908
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250908Z FEB 08
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6931
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
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 SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000119 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, AIAG, OES/IHA, MED, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH 
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH 
HHS FOR OGHA - STEIGER, HICKEY 
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, REO AND CDC 
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: Human Case Reported in Guangdong 
Province 
 
REF: A) BEIJING 657, B) GUANGZHOU 113, C) BEIJING 585, 
 
D) GUANGZHOU 47, E) GUANGZHOU 43, F) 07 GUANGZHOU 1279, 
G) 07 GUANGZHOU 1075, H) 07 GUANGZHOU 1070 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  The Chinese Government notified Embassy Beijing, 
Consulate Guangzhou and foreign governments of another suspected 
human case of avian influenza (AI), this time in Guangdong Province. 
 A 44-year-old female migrant worker fell ill on February 16 after 
exposure to sick and dead poultry.  A medical response team has been 
dispatched to the area where the case was identified.  In addition, 
according to media reports, officials in Guangxi have taken steps to 
strengthen AI prevention in response to the human case reported refs 
A and B.  End Summary. 
 
New Case Identified in Guangdong 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) The Guangdong Department of Health notified the Consulate and 
local foreign consulates on February 24 that a suspected human avian 
influenza case had been detected in Shanwei City, Guangdong 
Province.  Beijing and embassies in China were notified by the 
Ministry of Health about this case on the same day.  The patient is 
a migrant worker in a brick factory in Dapu Village, Haifeng County, 
Shanwei City in southeastern Guangdong.  She fell ill on February 
16, with symptoms of fever, expectoration and pneumonia.  On 
February 22, after being treated in a local health clinic and a 
local hospital with no improvement, she was transferred to the 
Pengpai Memorial Hospital in Haifeng County with a diagnosis of 
"pneumonia with unknown cause."  The patient is now in critical 
condition.  An investigation showed that the patient had had contact 
with sick and dead poultry before becoming ill. 
 
¶3. (U) Laboratory tests by the Guangdong Provincial Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention were positive for H5N1 avian 
influenza nuclein and negative for SARS coronavirus nuclein and 
antibodies.  Guangdong Provincial Health Department officials have 
identified the case as a "suspected human AI case" and have 
submitted the case to the Chinese Ministry of Health for 
confirmation. 
 
Medical Response Team Dispatched 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) A team from the Guangdong Provincial Health Department with 
expertise in epidemiological diseases, laboratory tests and clinical 
treatment has been dispatched to Haifeng County to investigate, 
assist in treatment and implement prevention and control measures. 
Those who have had close contact with the patient and sick or dead 
poultry are under close medical supervision. 
 
Prompt Notification 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) This most recent outbreak in Guangdong has been widely 
reported in local media.  Press reports indicate that Chinese 
officials have also notified the governments of Hong Kong and Macao 
SAR.  The Guangdong Foreign Affairs Office notified the Consulate on 
February 25. The Ministry of Health (MOH) notified Embassy Beijing. 
This is the first time that the MOH has notified the Embassy of an 
AI case where no/no confirmation of H5N1 has been made by the 
National Laboratory. 
 
¶6. (SBU) According to Hong Kong press reports, Zhong Nanshan, 
director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, called 
on officials to be on alert because recent winter storms had caused 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000119  002 OF 002 
 
 
an increased number of dead birds.  However, He Jianfeng, Deputy 
Director of the Institute of Epidemic Disease Prevention, commented 
to Consulate staff that this latest case was one more in a series of 
sporadic cases and was not cause to believe a larger outbreak was 
imminent. 
 
Guangxi Responds to Previous Case 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Local media also reported on steps taken in Guangxi Zhuang 
Autonomous Region to respond to the recent human AI case there (refs 
A and B).  Guangxi Vice Chairman Chen Zhangliang told the press that 
the situation in Guangxi was challenging because recent snowstorms 
had left large numbers of dead poultry and wild animals.  In 
addition, he noted that vaccination subsidies were not provided in 
all areas last year, resulting in lower vaccination rates.  Guangxi 
plans to restore subsidies for vaccines, aiming for 100% vaccination 
within one month, and to improve supervision of disposal of wildlife 
corpses and sick or dead poultry. 
 
GOLDBERG