VZCZCXRO2119
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHVC
DE RUEHGZ #0351/01 1700937
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180937Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7331
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCNARFC/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP/ISA/AP//
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//
RHEFAFM/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000351 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, AIAG, OES/IHA, MED, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH 
HHS FOR OGHA/STEIGER AND PASS TO NIH/FIC 
CDC FOR COGH AND DIV-FLU 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP 
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA), FSIS 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID 
BEIJING FOR HHS, CDC, RMO 
PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR 
VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO EAGR PINR KFLU CH
SUBJECT: Confirmed Cases of H5N1 Virus on Guangdong Duck Farm, No 
Additional Outbreaks Reported 
 
REF: A) Hong Kong 1034, B)Hong Kong 1061, C) Guangzhou 160 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: It looks as though authorities in south China 
understand the need to move quickly on a potential H5N1 threat.  The 
National Influenza Reference Laboratory and China's Ministry of 
Agriculture reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian 
Influenza on a duck farm in Jiangmen City, Guangdong province. 
Poultry on the farm began to fall ill June 10, and 3,873 ducks were 
dead by June 13.  To prevent the spread of the disease, the local 
government culled the farm's remaining 17,127 ducks and disposed of 
35,000 hatching eggs.  No additional cases of H5N1 infection have 
been reported in the endemic area or in other parts of Guangdong 
province.  End Summary. 
 
Local Action Results in Quick Response 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On June 17, the Ministry of Agriculture and the National 
Avian Influenza Laboratory confirmed an outbreak of highly 
pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza at a duck farm in the Xinhui 
District of Jiangmen City in Guangdong province.  (Note: Jiangmen is 
located in the western Pearl River Delta approximately 100 KM 
southwest of Guangzhou. End note.) The farm's poultry began falling 
ill on June 10, and 3,873 ducks were dead by June 13.  The Jiangmen 
Agricultural Bureau was notified on June 13, and preliminary tests 
indicated the presence of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza, leading 
to the local veterinary bureau culling the farm's remaining 17,127 
ducks and disposing of 35,000 hatching eggs.  After confirming the 
outbreak on June 17, the Guangdong Agricultural Department 
dispatched a taskforce of experts to assess the situation and 
respond to the emergency.  Three tons of disinfectants were sent to 
the site, and the Xinhui District government blockaded the 
surrounding area.  Additional measures included culling and disposal 
of local poultry that was raised in backyards or had not developed 
adequate antibody levels to resist possible infection.  In addition, 
all live poultry markets in the area have been closed. 
 
Initial Investigation Suggests An Isolated Outbreak 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) On June 17, the provincial veterinary station and local 
disease prevention and control center began testing antibody levels 
of poultry located within a 3 KM radius of the Jiangmen outbreak. 
Random tests of 425 poultry serums in 28 large-scale poultry farms 
showed that 96% of tested samples contained the required antibody 
levels to help resist infection.  Conditions in the affected area 
are still being investigated, but initial reports suggest that the 
outbreak has not spread to additional areas. 
 
Local Official Provides Further Insights 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Yu Yedong, deputy director general of the Guangdong Bureau 
of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, said the duck farmer 
came from Zhejiang province and his farm is relatively small, with a 
total of only 21,000 ducks.  This outbreak was isolated to mostly 
full-grown ducks and previous outbreaks among ducks did not tend to 
spread beyond the immediate duck population.  Following the 
outbreak, questioning of the duck farmer revealed inconsistent and 
contradictory answers.  The investigation team suspects this farmer 
had not taken required vaccination measures, and then tried to cover 
up this fact for fear of punishment.  Mr. Yu also said the 
investigation is on-going, with all surrounding poultry farms 
showing satisfactory antibody levels at this time.  As an added 
precaution, authorities have proceeded with vaccinations for all 
susceptible fowl within a 5 kilometer radius of the farm. 
 
¶7. (U) Beijing Embassy ESTH has cleared this cable. 
 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000351  002 OF 002 
 
 
GOLDBERG