VZCZCXRO2013
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDF RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHRL #0495/01 1191317
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291317Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3949
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0328
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 7964
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC 0100
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0718
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1452

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000495 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU ECON PREL SOCI CASC EAGR MX GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY H1N1 FLU UPDATE: 3 CONFIRMED, SEVERAL NEW 
SUSPICIOUS CASES - CORRECTED COPY 
 
REF: Berlin 488 
 
¶1. (SBU)  Summary: The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) confirmed 
today three cases of Influenza-A-Virus A/H1N1 in Germany.  Two 
of the cases were reportedly confirmed in Bavaria and one case 
in Hamburg.  One man from near Regensburg (Bavaria), and two 
females--one from Kulmbach (Bavaria) and one from Hamburg-- 
tested positively for H1N1. The German media reported about 
several other suspicious, but unconfirmed, cases throughout 
the country, mainly in Bavaria and in North Rhine-Westphalia. 
Previous cases reported in reftel were confirmed negative for 
H1N1.  The Transportation Ministry is taking precautionary 
measures at airports and Munich authorities are anticipating 
an arrival from Cancun, Mexico, with symptomatic passengers. 
The Mission Pandemic Influenza Working Group convened on 28 
April and reviewed tripwires and confirmed Mission supplies. 
The group also discussed how to ensure information 
transmission to Americans in Germany in line with no-double- 
standard requirements.  End Summary. 
 
CONFIRMED CASES 
--------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  The two patients from Bavaria were in Mexico before 
returning to Germany with flu-like symptoms.  Both went to 
their local doctors within a few days of their return.  The 
woman was treated at home and has no more symptoms.  All of 
her contacts tested negatively for the virus, including her 
husband, who had accompanied her on the trip to Mexico.   The 
man in Regensburg is hospitalized.  His condition is worse 
than that of the woman, since he has a chronic disease that 
may be aggravated by the flu.  His contacts tested negative 
for H1N1 as well.  Both patients are expected to recover from 
the virus.  They are between 35 and 40 years old.   The 
Bavarian Environment Ministry reported about several other 
suspicious cases which have not been confirmed to date.  The 
confirmed case in Hamburg involved a 20 year old woman who 
reported to her university clinic (following travel to Mexico) 
with flu-like symptoms.  She was isolated and being treated. 
 
 
PRIOR REPORTING NOT H1N1 
------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) The three suspicious cases reported in reftel 
involving two men who returned from a trip to Mexico with flu- 
like symptoms and 1 woman (the sister of one of the two 
men)who contracted an infection later  - did not turn out to 
be H1N1 cases, health official said. 
 
 
TRANSPORTATION PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Transportation Ministry told the embassy on 
Tuesday that Germany will now apply certain precautionary 
measures at all airports handling incoming Mexican and U.S. 
flights.  Carriers are now requested to distribute fliers to 
passengers on these flights, describing the symptoms. 
Travelers showing symptoms within 7 days after arrival are 
requested to see a doctor.  If the symptoms are confirmed, the 
doctor is required to report the patient to RKI.   Carriers 
have also been requested to store passenger lists for these 
flights for a minimum of 10 days in order to facilitate the 
tracing of other passengers, should it be necessary.  If the 
illness breaks out on board, or a passenger is suspected to 
have it, he is to be isolated or quarantined.  Other 
passengers on the flight will receive passenger locator 
cards. 
 
 
INBOUND FLIGHT FROM MEXICO 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5.  According to the media, Germany's health official at 
Munich airport expects by midday a non-stop flight from 
Cancun, Mexico, where the pilot has given advance notice to 
officials that there are passengers with A/H1N1 symptoms on 
board. Flight no. LT 1415 (Airbus 330) has 275 passengers on 
board.  The airplane will be brought to a separate area upon 
arrival at the airport; passengers with suspicious symptoms 
will be isolated or quarantined.  In addition, Hamburg Port 
 
BERLIN 00000495  002 OF 002 
 
 
Health Authority officials have started precautionary measures 
at Hamburg Airport particularly with Continental Airlines and 
at the Hamburg harbor. 
 
 
FOOD MEASURES 
------------- 
 
¶6.   (SBU) The German Agency for Risk Assessment (BfR) has 
indicated that they have not detected any cases of H1N1 being 
contracted from food. However, BfR advises consumers to 
generally heat all meat products - including pork - for at 
least 2 minutes and to a minimum temperature of least 70 
degrees Celsius to eliminate the risk of food borne illnesses 
caused by micro-organisms such as viruses (e.g. H1N1& AI) and 
bacteria (e.g. salmonella & listeria) 
 
¶7. (SBU) Germany's Under Secretary of Health, Klaus Schroeder, 
said yesterday in Berlin that the suspicious cases found in 
Germany are individual cases and not a pandemic.  The German 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned to avoid unnecessary 
trips to Mexico.  The German government has renamed the virus 
into "new flu." 
 
 
MISSION ACTIONS 
--------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) The Pandemic Influenza Working Group (PIWG) met by DVC 
April 28. Primary task of PIWG meeting was to review local 
Mission tripwires for adequacy and completeness.  PIWG 
determined that existing local tripwires were narrowly focused 
on avian influenza and its particular characteristics (50 
percent fatality rate of H5N1, animal-to-human transmission, 
etc.)  PIWG will revise local tripwires to reflect the 
apparent lower fatality rate of H1N1 and its transmission 
between humans.  Revised tripwires will include additional 
coordination with military entities and local American groups, 
and provide clearer tripwire definitions based on Federal 
Government Response Stages and WHO Phases. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Mission Health Unit confirmed adequate supplies of 
personal protective equipment (PPE), including goggles, gowns, 
and gloves.  PIWG discussed dispensation and deployment of PPE 
to those with the most exposure to the public -- consular 
section and local guards -- for later tripwires.  Health Unit 
also confirmed that Mission supplies of antiviral drugs were 
at least adequate to cover 30 percent of mission staff (local 
and American) and their families. 
 
¶10.  (U) To inform the public and Mission personnel, a flu 
section has been placed on the front page of the Mission 
Germany public website with links to the following: Department 
of Health and Human Services, pandemicflu.gov, Secretary 
Napolitano's press briefing on H1N1, the World Health 
Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. 
 
¶11.  (U) PIWG will work in close concert with Consular Affairs 
and American Citizen Services to ensure non-mission American 
citizens are kept abreast of developments and the no double 
standard policy is adhered to.  ACS is drafting a Warden 
Message to provide guidance to private American citizens that 
will echo expert advice from CDC, WHO, and HHS provided on the 
Mission homepage. 
 
 
Koenig