VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #0765 1251023
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051023Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2348

UNCLAS CAIRO 000765 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: TBIO PGOV EAGR EG
SUBJECT:  EGYPT:  RECENT FLU NEWS 
 
¶1.  (U) Key Points-- There have been a number of developments on 
both the H1N1 ("Swine" flu) and H5N1 (Avian Influenza or AI) fronts: 
 
 
--(SBU) While the GOE's pig slaughter campaign (septel) has diverted 
resources and public attention from GOE efforts at pandemic 
preparedness, the GOE has taken meaningful steps to deal with the 
H1N1 outbreak, including USAID-supported public awareness campaigns 
and training programs. 
 
-- (SBU) Civil aviation authorities say the GOE does not intend to 
close the airports and borders if the World Health Organization 
(WHO) goes to Phase 6. 
 
-- (SBU) NAMRU-3, which serves as WHO's regional H1N1 reference 
center, is receiving samples from the region: so far, none are 
positive for H1N1. 
 
--(SBU) The GOE is attempting to develop and produce poultry 
vaccines that will be effective against the H5N1 virus now 
circulating here, which appears to be resistant to most available 
vaccines. 
 
PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS 
--------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU) The H1N1 outbreak brought a sense of urgency to the 
Ministry of Health and Population's (MOH's) public service messages 
designed to encourage behavior that reduce transmission of 
contagious seasonal influenza.  MOH asked USAID for help.  They have 
jointly completed the planned flu materials after rapidly reaching 
consensus on the content.  The materials include a public-service 
announcement and printed materials: a poster, two fliers, and 
distribution of the GOE Pandemic Guidelines in Arabic and English. 
Additionally, MOH has asked USAID to redirect money from routine 
infection control training to a one-day comprehensive training on 
Pandemic Preparedness for infection control teams in 350 MOHP 
hospitals in all 29 Governorates.  Additional requests for 
assistance are expected shortly. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) MOH's testing of swine workers for H1N1 continues.  This 
effort is taking time and attention away from ongoing H5N1 testing 
programs.  The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR) 
and MOH are taking lead roles in preparing for a pandemic, and the 
efforts are impressive. GOE's Preparedness Plan for Pandemic 
Influenza is completed, published and distributed.  In fact, MALR 
was conducting its emergency training session when we arrived there 
for our visit last week in the wake of WHO's phase 5 designation for 
the H1N1 pandemic. 
 
NO PLANS TO CLOSE AIRPORTS 
-------------------------- 
¶4.  (SBU) On May 3, we contacted the Egyptian Civil Aviation 
Authority (ECAA) to ask about press reports that Egypt will close 
its ports and airports if WHO goes to Phase 6.  According to the 
ECAA, there are no plans to close the airports even if WHO does go 
to Phase 6, and any comments along those lines to the press last 
week were inaccurate. 
 
SO FAR, NO H1N1 in EGYPT 
------------------------ 
¶5.  (SBU) In its new role as H1N1 reference center for WHO's Eastern 
Mediterranean Regional Office, NAMRU-3 has begun to receive samples 
from area countries to test for H1N1.  So far, it has found no 
positive cases.  Rumors of an H1N1 case at Egypt's Tanta Fever 
Hospital yesterday were greatly exaggerated and untrue.  NAMRU-3 is 
prepared to deploy away teams in the region.  NAMRU-3 also continues 
to serve as the regional reference laboratory for seasonal influenza 
and a global H5N1 influenza center. 
 
NEW POULTRY VACCINES FOR H5N1? 
------------------------------ 
¶6.  (SBU) Embassy Cairo is working closely with the United States 
Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Services (USDA) and 
NAMRU-3 to transfer a reverse genetic strain of H5N1, created by 
USDA in its Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory (SPRL) from an 
2007 Egyptian H5N1 sample, to the GOE's National Laboratory for 
Quality Control of Poultry (NLQP) to allow NLQP to conduct research 
into the strain's suitability as a poultry vaccine.  Much of the 
virus circulating in Egyptian poultry is, according to SPRL, 
resistant to available vaccines.  In a separate development, the 
Egyptian National Center for Research announced a contract with 
VACSERA, the GOE-owned vaccine monopoly, for the production of a 
poultry vaccine based on a reverse genetic strain of H5 taken from a 
2006 Egyptian sample. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) COMMENT:  These vaccine programs represent the first 
efforts at science-based decision-making insofar as vaccine programs 
are concerned, a sea change in country where at least 19 different 
poultry vaccines have been used to combat AI, unsuccessfully.  END 
COMMENT. 
SCOBEY