VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGZ #0006 0050725
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050725Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0087
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0031
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0010
INFO RUEHGZ/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE 0038
RUEHGZ/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0038
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC 0038
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC 0005
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP/ISA/AP// 0002
RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5// 0005
RHEFAFM/DIRNCMI FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//

UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 000006 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, OES/IHA, MED, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH 
CDC FOR OGHA AND DIV-FLU 
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 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU CASC SOCI PREL HK CH
SUBJECT: INFANT CONTRACTS H9N2 AVIAN FLU IN SHENZHEN, HOSPITALIZED 
IN HONG KONG 
 
¶1. Summary: An eleven-week old girl who resides in Shenzhen has 
reportedly contracted the H9N2 strain of avian influenza (AI).  She 
is being treated in a Hong Kong hospital.  Some medical experts have 
expressed concern that the H9N2 virus, which is less virulent than 
H5N1, may have mutated because the girl did not initially exhibit a 
fever.  Shenzhen officials are investigating the source of the 
infection, but have not yet released any findings.  End summary. 
 
¶2. According to media reports, an eleven-week old girl living in 
Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, contracted the H9N2 strain of AI and 
is now being treated at Tuen Mun Hospital in Hong Kong.  The girl 
was born in Hong Kong, and her parents took her to Tuen Mun Hospital 
there on December 22 after she exhibited coughing and vomiting. 
Because she had no fever, the hospital did not suspect AI after her 
first admission.  She was discharged the next day and returned with 
her parents to Shenzhen.  Her parents took her back to Tuen Mun 
Hospital on December 29, after which blood tests determined she was 
infected with H9N2, which is less virulent than the H5N1 strain. 
Media reports indicate she is in stable condition, but still has an 
elevated white blood cell count, which doctors suspect may be due to 
causes other than the AI infection.  They are testing her for 
leukemia. 
 
¶3. Medical experts are reportedly concerned that the H9N2 virus may 
have mutated because the girl did not initially develop a fever. 
Hong Kong and Guangdong health officials have been in contact with 
each other to speed investigation of the infection source. 
 
¶4. Shenzhen officials have sent a team to investigate the 
residential area in Shenzhen's Nansha District, where the patient 
lived, and indicated they would release an update when more 
information is available.  They advised local residents to reduce 
contact with live poultry.  The patient's doctor in Hong Kong told 
reporters that the family did not raise chickens and that other 
members of the family have not displayed any symptoms of the virus. 
 
 
¶5. This cable was coordinated with Embassy Beijing and Consulate 
General Hong Kong. 
 
GOLDBERG