VZCZCXRO9965
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDF RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA
RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHFR #0589 1171518
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271518Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6129
INFO RHEBAAA/USDOE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS PARIS 000589 
 
SIPDIS 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
CORRECTED TEXT 
 
Pass OES/IHB 
USDA/FAS/OSTA for Hamilton, Bean and Macke 
Pass Health and Human Services 
Pass Centers for Disease Control 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV KFLU CASC TBIO FR
SUBJECT: Swine Flu:  French Say currently no/no positive cases in 
France 
 
¶1. (SBU) Contacts at the French Ministry of Health (MOH) informed 
the Embassy that there are currently no positive cases of H1NI 
confirmed in France. There are a few ongoing suspicions, however, 
which will be discussed today in detail through the Global Health 
Security Action Group (GHSAG) channels by the French MOH Director 
General of Health Didier Houssin.  MOH noted that if necessary, 
France will use and adapt all procedures issued in its 2009 Pandemic 
Preparedness Plan for Avian Influenza to handle the Mexican flu 
epidemic.  French press reports that the four suspected cases of 
swine flu among travelers returning from Mexico to France were given 
the all-clear. 
 
¶2.  Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin stated at a press 
conference yesterday in Paris that the GOF is closely monitoring the 
development of the epidemic.  MOH is taking a series of measures 
including close contact with WHO and other European governments, 
informing local authorities of recent developments, daily press 
conferences for the public, and establishing a special telephone 
number for French travelers to call for information. 
¶3.  Houssin stated that the Ministry of Health expects more 
suspected cases in the coming days, due to the high number of 
travelers entering France from Mexico and the U.S.  The GOF is 
confident that the French national preparedness plan for the 
prevention and control of an influenza pandemic can be applied in 
case of swine flu and relies on 33 million doses of Tamiflu in 
storage.  The French committee for pre-pandemic preparation has not 
recommended vaccination using seasonal flu vaccine and there is no 
decision to consider quarantine plans so far. 
¶4.  The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAP) has stated that 
no H1N1 swine flu virus has been found in pigs raised in France. 
Further, France imports neither live pigs nor pork meat from Mexico. 
 
¶5.  The Consular Section's Office of Citizen Services reports only a 
few inquiries from Americans in France. 
¶6.  COMMENT: It is clear that the GOF wants to coordinate closely 
with the U.S. Government in considering actions to prevent and 
contain the spread of this virus. 
 
Pekala