VZCZCXRO7522
RR RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHPB RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #1210/01 1261034
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061034Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3836
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP/ISA/AP//
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 001210 
 
HHS FOR OGHA 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, MG, EAGR, HHS, TF, CH 
SUBJECT:  TFFLU01: H1N1 INFLUENZA OUTBREAK - CHINA SITREP # 5 
 
REF: A) BEIJING 1197  B) STATE 45269  C) BEIJING 1191 
D) BEIJING 1171   E) HONG KONG 802 
 
 
AMERICANS IN QUARANTINE, QUARANTINE CHARGES, AND NOTIFICATION 
--------------- ------------------------- ------------------ 
 
¶1. (U) As of COB on May 6 Beijing Time, there are no confirmed cases 
of infection of humans or livestock by the A/H1N1 influenza virus on 
Mainland China.  One case was confirmed in Hong Kong on May 1 (REF 
E). 
 
¶2. (SBU) Two American citizens remain under quarantine. 
 
--A 38 year-old female has been in quarantine in a local hospital in 
Yiwu, Zhejiang Province (5 hour drive southwest of Shanghai) since 
early morning hours of Friday May 1.  She has remained in contact 
with ConGen Shanghai and reports that she is now set to be released 
on Thursday, May 7, local time, which will be the end of a seven-day 
quarantine period, the standard used by the Chinese. 
 
--A 20 year-old male has been in quarantine in Beijing at Ditan 
Hospital since afternoon of Saturday May 2.  Hospital officials 
informed Post on May 6 that his quarantine period will end on Monday 
May 11, not May 9, as he was originally told. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Ditan Hospital now does not intend to release the American 
citizen currently in quarantine there until May 11, which is past 
the previously-understood seven-day quarantine period.  Doctors now 
claim the seven-day period began on May 4, when the patient last 
reportedly showed "fever symptoms," not May 2, the day he was placed 
into quarantine upon arriving by air from the United States. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The same American citizen also was asked on May 6 to 
provide a medical insurance card and told that he will receive a 
bill charging him for medical and incidental costs incurred during 
his quarantine in Ditan Hospital.  Ditan Hospital officials informed 
Beijing ACS that this reflects the policy of the Beijing Municipal 
Government.  Beijing ACS has requested that the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs provide confirmation and justification of this policy in 
writing.  (NOTE:  The Mexican Embassy reported that the Mexican 
nationals who were released from quarantine and returned to Mexico 
via charter flight on May 5 were not/not charged for costs incurred 
during their quarantine.  The Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office 
announced in a press conference on May 5 that all costs of 
quarantine would be borne by "the government." Press reports 
indicate Guangzhou also has a "free quarantine" policy in place. 
END NOTE) 
 
¶5. (SBU) Consular notification of American citizens being 
transferred into quarantine remains uneven.  Foreign Affairs Offices 
at the provincial and municipal levels have conveyed to Embassy 
Beijing and consulates that they intend to notify foreign missions 
of decisions to quarantine their nationals, and in some cases, have 
provided 24-hour duty phone lines where inquiries can be directed. 
There have been no new cases involving American citizens to test the 
efficacy of this approach since last weekend. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  A warden message to the American community was sent on May 
6, advising residents and travelers of enhanced temperature 
screening and possible quarantine procedures in place for passengers 
arriving on international flights. 
 
 
CHINESE CHARTER FLIGHT ARRIVES FROM MEXICO 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U)  China National Radio reported that the charter flight 
operated by China Southern Airlines carrying 97 passengers from 
Mexico was set to arrive at 4:35 PM Wednesday May 6.  The report 
also indicated that all passengers (excluding medical personnel and 
crew that originally accompanied the charter flight from Guangzhou) 
would be placed into quarantine for seven days of "medical 
observation." 
 
BEIJING 00001210  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
 
THERMAL IMAGING EQUIPMENT AND QUARANTINE PROCEDURES 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Outbreak-associated H1N1 test kits are in transit and were 
set to arrive in China from U.S. CDC on afternoon of May 7 Beijing 
Time.  U.S. CDC is scheduled to send three outbreak associated H1N1 
viral isolates on May 6, Atlanta time. 
 
¶9. (SBU) In response to REF B, the following information is 
available: 
 
a) Equipment used includes both handheld and fixed position 
monitors. 
 
--Beijing:  IR-235 DX FLIR handheld infrared camera; additional 
fixed position monitors of unknown make/model. 
 
--Guangzhou:  Two types are in use.  One is an infrared thermal 
imaging system, which is manufactured domestically.  The other is a 
portable, hand-held infrared thermometer, made by both domestic and 
foreign manufacturers.  Make and model information is not 
available. 
 
--Shanghai:  German-manufactured Testo 845 and Testo 880 
 
b) Thermal imaging equipment has been set up at airports, land 
border crossings, and sea ports, as well as at some large event 
venues like the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou (Canton 
Fair). 
 
c) Thermal imaging is used to monitor passengers from all incoming 
international flights. 
 
d) Temperature cut-off also varies: 
 
--Beijing: If thermal imaging registers passenger's temperature as 
over 37C, s/he will be brought to the negative pressure isolation 
room for secondary temperature test. If the second test registers 
over 37.5C, the passenger will be referred for potential quarantine. 
 
 
--Guangzhou:  37.5 degrees Celsius 
 
e)   Official response to "elevated temperatures" is as follows: 
 
--If a passenger is found with an elevated temperature, s/he will be 
asked to enter an isolation room at the border entry point for 
initial clinical assessment. 
 
--The passenger will be asked if s/he has been to countries or areas 
where there has been a recent H1N1 outbreak.  If the answer is yes, 
the passenger will be sent to a designated hospital for further 
examination. 
 
--If the passenger tests positive for the H1N1 virus, s/he will be 
kept for further medical treatment.  A seven-day quarantine (medical 
observation) will be imposed on other passengers on the same plane. 
 
 
--If the passenger with the elevated temperature has been to an 
H1N1-affected country/area recently and tests negative for the H1N1 
virus, s/he will still be placed under medical observation in 
quarantine place for seven days. Other passengers on the same plane 
will not be quarantined. 
 
--If the passenger states that s/he has not been to an H1N1-affected 
country/area recently, and further medical examination finds no 
other H1N1 symptoms such as cough, sore throat, or headache, there 
will be no quarantine. 
 
 
EXTENDED WAIT FOR U.S. CITIZENS APPLYING FOR CHINESE VISAS 
 
BEIJING 00001210  003 OF 003 
 
 
----------------------------- -------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (U)  The Chinese Embassy in Washington posted a notice on its 
official website on May 3, announcing that effective May 4, 
processing time would be 6 business days for people applying in the 
United States for visas to visit China.  It further stated that 
express and rush services would be suspended and a "Declaration 
Form" detailing travel for the previous two weeks would also be 
required. 
 
 
CANADIANS IN QUARANTINE 
---------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU)  The Canadian Health Counselor reported on May 6 that 
there currently are 20 Canadian citizens being isolated in a hotel 
in Changchun, Jilin Province.  Local press had been reporting the 
number as 25.  Two more Canadian nationals are being quarantined in 
Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. 
 
 
PICCUTA