VZCZCXRO3846
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBS #0728 1471246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271246Z MAY 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/HHS WASHDC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8990
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000728 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/IHB 
STATE PASS USTR JANE DOHERTY 
STATE PASS USAID 
STATE PASS HHS/NIH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC AMED CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO
PREL, PINR, AMGT, TF, BE 
SUBJECT: BELGIUM:  H1N1: SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH 
CONFIRMED CASES, ALL MILD 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 700 
 
¶1.  Belgian health authorities announced via a May 26 press 
release that an eighth positive case of H1N1 in Belgium has 
occurred, involving a young man from Brussels who had 
returned to Belgium on May 24 from a New York-Paris flight, 
taking the TGV high-speed train from Paris to Brussels.  The 
man contacted his doctor on May 25 complaining of not feeling 
well.  His doctor noted the man's symptoms -- fever, cough 
and muscle pain -- and after consulting with a public health 
official, the man was tested for H1N1, and on May 26 the 
positive test result was received and the patient was 
transferred to Brussels' Saint Pierre's hospital, as were all 
previous H1N1 patients.  His condition was described as not 
worrying in the press release announcing the case.  The man 
had not left his home following his return from New York. 
The three persons with whom he had close contact have started 
a preventative treatment of antiviral medication and are 
avoiding contact with others.  The press release indicated 
that French authorities have asked the airline in question 
for a list of passengers on the flight from New York to 
Paris, and that persons who could have been exposed to the 
virus during the flight or the train to Brussels will be 
contacted. 
 
¶2.  Last week, Belgian health authorities announced via 
separate press releases on May 21 that the sixth and seventh 
confirmed cases of H1N1 had been found in the country.  The 
sixth case involves a female from the French-speaking 
province of Brabant in the Wallonia region who had returned 
March 19 via a flight from Newark after spending one week on 
the East Coast of the United States; the seventh case 
involves a male from Antwerp province who returned to Belgium 
on May 20 via a Chicago flight.  Both individuals are 
currently at Brussel's Saint Pierre hospital in a special 
ward for H1N1 patients; the authorities described both cases 
as mild and both patients are expected to recover. 
 
¶3.  The woman from Brabant stayed home on May 19 following 
her return from the United States.  On May 20, she called her 
doctor to report flu-like symptoms.  She was tested and kept 
isolated at home pending the results.  She was transferred to 
Saint Pierre's hospital following her positive test result. 
Three persons with whom she had close contact are being 
treated with anti-viral medications.  Authorities have asked 
for the list of passengers on the woman's flight from Newark 
and those passengers whom authorities believe could have been 
exposed to the virus during the flight will be contacted by 
health authorities.  If some of those passengers are not 
Belgian residents, health authorities of their country of 
residence will be notified. 
 
¶4.  The man from Antwerp contacted his doctor following his 
return from Chicago, complaining of feeling unwell and sore 
joints, but otherwise without influenza symptoms.  On the 
evening of May 20, he began to have a fever, light cough and 
muscle soreness.  He went to an emergency room on May 21 and 
following a positive test for H1N1, was transferred to Saint 
Pierre's.  Thirteen (13) people with whom he had had close 
contact since his return are being treated with anti-viral 
medicine.  Authorities have asked for the list of passengers 
on the man's flight from Newark and those passengers whom 
authorities believe could have been exposed to the virus 
during the flight will be contacted by health authorities. 
If some of those passengers are not Belgian residents, health 
authorities of their country of residence will be notified. 
 
¶5.  Belgian health authorities announced in a May 24 press 
release that the first five positive H1N1 cases have been 
released recently from Saint Pierre's hospital, no longer 
contagious, and while patients six and seven are still in 
Saint Pierre's, their condition is not worrisome.  The eighth 
patient was of course not mentioned as he arrived at Saint 
Pierre's after the May 24 press release. 
BUSH 
.