VZCZCXRO1563
RR RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHBR #0600 1312120
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 112120Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4280
INFO RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 4025
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 7714
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 9517
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1585
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000600 
 
DEPT FOR OES/IHB AMBASSADOR LOFTIS 
DEPT FOR WHA/BSC 
USDA PASS TO APHIS 
HHS PASS TO CDC 
HHS FOR OGHA 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU CASC AEMR AMED ASEC KSAF PREL PINR AMGT
KFLO, KPAO, TF, BR 
SUBJECT: TFFLU01: H1N1 INFLUENZA OUTBREAK AND BRAZIL:  SITREP #10 
 
REF:  A) Brasilia 579, B) Brasilia 566 and previous 
 
(U) THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION.  PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) This report provides an update on developments in Brazil 
regarding the 2009 H1N1 outbreak. 
 
NEW REPORTED CASES: 
 
¶2.  (SBU) As of the morning of May 11 the Brazilian Ministry of 
Health is reporting eight confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu in Brazil. 
 The eight cases are spread throughout five states: Sao Paulo (2 
cases), Rio de Janeiro (3 case), Minas Gerais (1 case), Santa 
Catarina (1), and Rio Grande do Sul (1). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Of these eight cases, six were contracted during travel 
abroad.  Two cases have been contracted domestically, both in Rio de 
Janeiro.  In both cases, the patient contracted the virus from 
someone who had recently traveled to Mexico or the United States. 
These two patients represent the first cases of human-to-human 
transmission within Brazil. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Ministry of Health is also continuing to monitor an 
additional 18 suspected cases.  Test results for these cases are 
expected to be released soon. 
 
BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT'S RECENT ACTIONS: 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The government of the Federal District of Brasilia 
announced on Saturday that people who public health officials 
identify as suspect cases of H1N1 flu will be subject to mandatory 
hospitalization.  Any patient who fails to comply could be held 
legally responsible for any further spread of the virus and could be 
charged under two laws: one that compelled people to follow 
governmental orders in a state of "public calamity" and one that 
makes it illegal to "start an epidemic."  Embassy contacts have 
confirmed that this is the official policy of the District, but they 
have also confided that they are not certain how the policy will be 
implemented should a case arise. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Press reports indicate that inspections in Rio de 
Janeiro's international airport have become increasingly strict 
(beyond that of other airports in Brazil.)  According to the reports 
they have set-up a separate screening area for passengers arriving 
from North America and they have begun screening entire flights. 
Consulate General Rio contacts report that this practice was limited 
to American Airlines and that it has now been suspended.  As of yet 
the Mission has not received any reports of mandatory hospital 
admittances and has had no complaints from AmCits traveling through 
Rio de Janeiro. 
 
DEVELOPMENTS WITH MISSION BRAZIL: 
 
¶7.  (SBU) One of Brazil's major newspapers, Folha de Sao Paulo, 
published an article about the U.S. Mission's policy of asking visa 
and American Citizen Service customers to reschedule their 
appointments if they appear to have flu-like symptoms.  The report 
indicates that all applicants will be subject to an "inspection" 
process.  The Mission is preparing a letter to the editor to clarify 
the actual policy, which does not include a formal inspection and 
has not resulted in anyone being turned away from any Mission Brazil 
Consular section.  As the approach was intended, applicants have 
been notified of our policy and have taken the opportunity to delay 
their appointments.  Public Affairs has responded to several 
additional media inquiries on the matter since Folha's article was 
published on Saturday. 
 
SOBEL