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RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHMA
RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNE #0860/01 1200655
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300655Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6382
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/CDR USJFCOM NORFOLK VA
RUCUWSU/USSTRATCOM OFFUTT AFB NE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHDC
RHMFIUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/HQ USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHHMBRA/JICPAC PEARL HARBOR HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEANQA/NGA HQ BETHESDA MD
RHMFIUU/NGIC INTEL OPS CHARLOTTESVILLE VA
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 NEW DELHI 000860 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
HHS FOR OGHA AND PASS TO ANNE CUMMINGS AND DANIEL MILLER 
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND PASS TO NANCY COX, STEPHEN BLOUNT, ANN MOE 
AND STEVE REDD 
PASS TO NIH FOR ROGER GLASS, THOMAS MAMPILLY, JAMES HEDDINTON AND 
GRAY HANDLEY 
PASS TO FDA FOR MAC LUMPKIN AND MARY LOU VALEX 
PASS TO AIAG FOR AMBASSADOR ROBERT LOFTIS, HELEN REED ROWE, AND 
CRAIG SHAPIRO 
USDA PASS APHIS AND FAS 
DOT PASS SHATLEY 
FAA PASS TNASKOVIAK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, MG, EAGR, EAIR, ECON, PREL, SOCI, IN 
SUBJECT: MGSF01: H1N1 FLU - INDIA'S RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 042349 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  At the close of business on April 29 in India, no 
cases of H1N1 infection in humans or livestock have been reported by 
the local press or government authorities.  We expect India to 
achieve independent diagnostic capability within the next few days; 
CDC is providing technical assistance to the Indian Ministry of 
Health (MOH).  As a precaution, the MOH has begun a screening 
program which is not yet uniformly in place at all international 
airports in India.  Moreover, an anticipated airport strike on May 1 
is not expected to significantly impact airport operations and 
flights to and from India will continue as normal.  Agricultural 
trade activities have not been impacted.  Mission India has 
instituted an interagency working group to coordinate activities, 
actions and responses.  END SUMMARY 
 
NO H1N1 CASES IN DELHI, DEVELOPING A DIAGNOSTIC CAPABILITY 
 
¶2. (SBU) No cases of H1N1 infection in humans or livestock have been 
reported by Embassy New Delhi contacts at the MOH, Ministry of 
Agriculture (MOA), or by Indian media outlets.  India is in the 
process of developing a capability to detect H1N1 and expects to be 
able to conduct diagnostics on its own within the next three to four 
days.  Embassy New Delhi's Health Attache provided the MOH with 
information on the virus sequence and instructions for ordering 
CDC's real-time PCR diagnostic kits on April 29. Embassy Health 
Officers remain in close contact with the MOH and other Government 
of India (GOI) contacts to provide any requested technical 
assistance.  Within India, diagnostic tests will be conducted at two 
labs - the internationally recognized National Institute of Virology 
in Pune and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in New 
Delhi.  Disease surveillance is conducted by the MOH based on 
reporting from hospitals and state government boards of health. 
 
SCREENING PROCEDURES IMPLEMENTED FOR ALL INBOUND PASSENGERS 
 
¶3. (SBU) The MOH and Airport Public Health Organization (APHO) have 
issued guidelines for screening of passengers to both Indian 
airports and airlines operating in India. The Ministry of External 
Affairs (MEA) America's Desk confirmed to Emboff today that all 
international passengers, including those holding official and 
diplomatic passports, will be required to fill out a questionnaire 
and be subjected to health screening before they reach immigration. 
Where passengers reveal symptoms of H1N1 flu, they will be 
quarantined by the MOH.  Airport health officials will also rely on 
airlines to identify passengers that are not feeling well.  Those 
passengers, along with any passengers seated in the same row or 
within three rows ahead or behind, will be taken to secondary 
facilities for further observation.  Based on a copy of the 
guidelines provided by an airline contact, and conversations with 
the MOH and Delhi Airport Health Officers, Mission India believes 
screening procedures will be implemented at most airports by this 
 
NEW DELHI 00000860  002.2 OF 005 
 
 
evening Delhi time. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The draft questionnaire shared by MOH with the Health 
Attache includes the following questions: (1) Have you 
visited/transited above mentioned countries (i.e. US, Canada and 
Mexico) Yes/No; (2) If yes, kindly answer the following questions, 
(a) Do you have fever or experienced fever in the past 10 days 
Yes/No, (b) Is fever accompanied by any of the following symptoms; 
cough, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing Yes/No, (c) Have 
you cared for or lived with or have had face to face contact with a 
case of flu or visited or worked in a hospital where cases of flu 
are being treated, or whether your family member has been a suspect 
or probable case of Swine Flu.  The questionnaire also requires 
personal information such as name, passport number, flight number, 
seat number, date of arrival, port of embarkation, port of 
disembarkation, contact address, and telephone number in India. 
 
¶5. (SBU) A survey of airports and airlines by MissionOffs suggests 
that screening implementation may not be uniform.  Following is a 
summary of reported activities at airports across India: 
 
-- NEW DELHI: APHO officer Dr. Sujeet K. Singh told EmbOffs on April 
29 that immigration staff informally screened some passengers flying 
into India from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico starting on April 28 
evening.  From 2000 hours local time onwards, all incoming 
passengers into India will be screened.  The MOH, in coordination 
with airport officials, has put in place eight counters at which 
passengers will be required to submit a questionnaire and be 
screened by a medical doctor and paramedic.  Passengers are expected 
to self-report any flu-like symptoms.  Passengers who report they 
are healthy and pass a visual inspection will, upon review of the 
form by medical officials, receive a medical officer's signature and 
stamp to proceed to immigration.  If further inquiry is required 
based on the passenger's responses or physical appearance, he/she 
will be sent to one of two screening rooms to undergo an examination 
involving a check on vital signs like temperature and pulse, as well 
as listening to the lungs with a stethoscope.  At this time, more 
intrusive tests like blood sampling or urine specimens will not be 
conducted.  A passenger who is still of concern will be transferred 
by ambulance to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital for additional 
observation and treatment.  No airport disruptions are expected as a 
result of the anticipated May 1 strike by Airport Authorities of 
India (AAI) workers. 
 
-- MUMBAI:  Airport contacts suggested that procedures will be very 
similar to those at New Delhi's airport and will be implemented 
starting at midnight tonight local time in accordance with the MOH 
directive.  Passengers suspected of infection will be transported by 
ambulance to Kasturba Hospital and kept in quarantine.  No 
disruptions are anticipated as a result of the May 1 airport 
strike. 
 
 
NEW DELHI 00000860  003.2 OF 005 
 
 
-- HYDERABAD:  Airline contacts indicated that they expect the GOI 
to promulgate information on procedures this evening, and that until 
then Rajiv Gandhi International Airport staff (employed by the 
private developer, the GMR group) are closely holding all 
information.  The anticipated screening procedures closely follow 
those at New Delhi's airport, although in this case the APHO is 
expected to actually meet all international flights and direct those 
passengers needing additional attention to the medical screening 
stations for further evaluation.  Since the airport has no onsite 
quarantine facility, arrangements have been made with the Sir Ronald 
Ross Institute for Tropical and Communicable Diseases (Fever 
Hospital) in Nallakunta to conduct further observation of passengers 
of concern if warranted.  No disruptions are anticipated as a result 
of the May 1 airport strike. 
 
-- CHENNAI:  Airport officials in Chennai's consular district - 
including Bangalore, Cochin and Chennai - are confused at what the 
Central Government expects.  As of this evening, these airports have 
not established screening procedures or identified which medical 
facilities will be used for quarantine or treatment.  Post expects 
these airports to follow procedures spelled out by the central 
government, with perhaps a slight delay in implementation as 
procedures are clarified.  Bangalore and Cochin are not expected to 
be impacted by the May 1 airport strike, and it is not clear whether 
staff at Chennai airport will participate.  (Note:  Both Bangalore 
and Cochin are privatized airports while Chennai is being modernized 
as a public private partnership by AAI and a private developer. END 
NOTE) 
 
-- KOLKATA:  Airport personnel in Kolkata are not sure what is going 
on and have been moving slowly to implement any screening policy. 
Some airlines - including Druk Air (Bhutan), GMG (Bangladesh), and 
Biman Bangladesh Airlines - were not even aware of any screening 
requirements.  Air India is talking to the health inspectors, and 
Emirates, Thai, Singapore and Lufthansa are aware of screening 
requirements and making arrangements to screen incoming passengers 
arriving later this evening/overnight.  There are no direct flights 
from North America landing in Kolkata International Airport. 
Kolkata consulate staff anticipates that the May 1 strike will cause 
delays in baggage screening and handling services, but expects 
flights will continue. 
 
POSSIBLE AIRPORT STRIKE NOT LIKELY TO DISRUPT OPERATIONS 
 
¶6. (SBU) A strike by AAI workers is anticipated to take place on May 
1 across Indian airports.  Based on conversations with airport and 
airline contacts, MissionOffs expect that the impact of the strike, 
if it takes place at all, will be rather minimal for most airports 
and that neither incoming nor outgoing flights will be effected.  A 
Continental Airlines representative did express concern to EmbOff 
about possible "serious" impact on airport services and flights 
operations if the air traffic controllers decide to join the strike; 
 
NEW DELHI 00000860  004.2 OF 005 
 
 
though he said that "seems pretty unlikely."  Most importantly, 
MissionOffs do not see an impact on airport security and screening 
operations by agitating and on strike employees. 
 
NO IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE TRADE 
 
¶7. (SBU) On April 28, the Chief Animal Health Officer told EmbOff 
that India does not have H1N1 flu in animals.  Further, he expressed 
irritation at the use of the term "swine flu" in the media, saying 
that the World Animal Health Organization had it correct when they 
announced that this was not a swine disease.  The Animal Health 
Officer also noted that they had received the Food and Agriculture 
Organization alert and the MOA was participating in GOI meetings on 
the subject.  Finally, he said that contrary to media reports, the 
MOA was not conducting extra-ordinary surveillance of pig farms in 
India.  India has taken no trade actions against countries reporting 
H1N1 human flu outbreaks.  India imports only small amounts of pork 
meat - mainly from the EU - totaling less than $400,000 in value in 
¶2008.  The MOA has not made an official announcement on H1N1 nor 
posted any notice on their official web site. 
 
MISSION INDIA PREPARED AND PROACTIVELY RESPONDING 
 
¶8. (SBU) Relying on our Avian Influenza action plan, Mission India 
has instituted a core interagency working group across the Embassy 
and Consulates to discuss worldwide developments and their impact on 
India and the Mission, and formulate and coordinate Mission 
activities, actions and responses.  Officers at all posts are 
engaged with appropriate government and commercial contacts to stay 
apprised of H1N1-related activities on the ground. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Embassy New Delhi's Medical Unit advises that Tamiflu, 
Relenza, and personal protective equipment are fully stocked at the 
Embassy, and that adequate influenza medications and supplies are 
also accounted for in all Consulate medical units.  The Medical Unit 
will continue to monitor the situation in country and provide 
updated guidance to the Mission community as needed.  On April 27, 
the Management Section provided Mission personnel with basic health 
and hygiene instructions to reduce the spread of germs like H1N1. 
 
 
¶10. (SBU) Excepting press inquiries, Mission India has seen no 
significant increase in calls regarding H1N1 flu and no increase in 
American Citizen Services requests due to H1N1, but has received a 
few inquiries via email.  The Embassy Consular Section disseminated 
two warden messages based on the new airport screening procedures 
and will continue to provide timely updates to the American Citizen 
community in India.  The Public Affairs Office has created a direct 
link to the H1N1 warden messages from Embassy New Delhi's public 
webpage (newdelhi.embassy.gov). 
 
¶11. (SBU) Several diplomatic missions in New Delhi contacted the 
 
NEW DELHI 00000860  005.2 OF 005 
 
 
Embassy about our H1N1 activities, and the GOI's response, screening 
methods, and travel advisories; they are awaiting official GOI 
announcements and the US course of action before issuing their own 
guidance.  The H1N1 point of contact at the Mexican Embassy said 
that they were providing information to their government about the 
Indian reaction but not notifying their citizens already in India. 
The Embassy's consular section has taken the lead in communicating 
with our diplomatic counterparts, and will continue to coordinate 
with them as needed. 
 
¶12. (U) Post will continue to report relevant developments as they 
occur. 
 
BURLEIGH