VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTV #0932 1171447
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271447Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1543
INFO RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1907

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000932 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NIH FOR INTERNATIONAL 
DEPT FOR OES/IHA, NEA, AND CA/OCS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO AMED CASC WHO IS
SUBJECT: TWO POSSIBLE SWINE FLU CASES IN ISRAEL 
 
REF: STATE 41745 
 
¶1. (SBU) Two possible cases of swine flu have been reported in 
Israel since April 25.   Both cases are Israeli men who recently 
returned from visits to Mexico and are displaying symptoms 
consistent with the virus.   Based upon criteria set by the Israeli 
Ministry of Health, the men have been quarantined at their 
respective hospitals, the first in Netanya and the second in Kfar 
Saba.   Prof. Avinoam Skolnik, director-general of the Netanya 
hospital, told the press that based upon initial test results he 
does not believe the 26-year old man is infected with the swine flu 
virus.   No information has been released regarding the Kfar Saba 
case, a man in his late forties. 
 
¶2. (SBU) At a press conference held today inside a Ministry of 
Health storage facility, both Deputy Minister of Health Ya'acov 
Litzman and Director of the Health Ministry's Emergency Situation 
Department Dr. Danny Laor briefed the media on the status of 
Israel's preparedness for a flu epidemic.  Litzman, an 
ultra-orthodox Jew who prefers to refer to the outbreak as the 
"Mexican flu" and not swine flu, announced that Israel has enough 
Tamiflu antiviral pills to treat 18% of the Israeli population. 
Laor detailed that this amounts to 11.7 million pills to treat 
approximately 1.1 million people; additionally, sufficient dosages 
are available to treat up to 200,000 children.  He asserted that 
agreements are in place that would allow the Ministry to purchase 
several million pills should circumstances require it.  In the 
interim, the Health Ministry has received budgetary approval to 
purchase additional dosages to treat up to 25% of the population. 
The Ministry also has a supply of 3,000 respiration machines 
available to distribute to Israeli hospitals if necessary.   There 
are no formal recommendations against travel abroad, but Litzman 
cautioned against travel to Mexico at this time. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Dr. Alex Levanthal, the Ministry of Health's Director of 
the Department of International Relations, discussed the situation 
with post ESTH office.  He said that although chances are slim that 
these cases are swine flu, precautionary measures are being taken 
because Israel currently has no presence of influenza and the recent 
travel to Mexico raised concern.  He is awaiting test results to 
determine first whether the men are infected with influenza, and 
then whether their specific strain is indeed the swine flu virus. 
If the samples indicate a positive presence of influenza, they will 
need to be sent to London for confirmation of the genomic 
sequencing.  Therefore, official results may not be available for 
several days. 
 
CUNNINGHAM