VZCZCXRO7139
RR RUEHNEH
DE RUEHNE #0879/01 1211317
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011317Z MAY 09ZDF
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6414
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
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RHMFIUU/CDR USJFCOM NORFOLK VA
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RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC
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RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHDC
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RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000879 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
HHS FOR OGHA AND PASS TO ANNE CUMMINGS AND DANIEL MILLER 
CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND PASS TO NANCY COX, STEPHEN BLOUNT, ANN MOE 
AND STEVE REDD 
PASS TO NIH FOR ROGER GLASS, THOMAS MAMPILLY, JAMES HEDDINTON AND 
GRAY HANDLEY 
PASS TO FDA FOR MAC LUMPKIN AND MARY LOU VALDEZ 
PASS TO AIAG FOR AMBASSADOR ROBERT LOFTIS, HELEN REED ROWE, AND 
CRAIG SHAPIRO 
USDA PASS APHIS AND FAS 
DOT PASS SHATLEY 
FAA PASS TNASKOVIAK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, MG, EAGR, EAIR, ECON, PREL, SOCI, IN 
SUBJECT: MGSF01: H1N1 FLU - UPDATE ON INDIA, BHUTAN'S RESPONSE 
 
REF:  A. STATE 42349 
      ¶B. NEW DELHI 860 
 
NEW DELHI 00000879  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: India still reports no cases of H1N1 in people or 
livestock, notwithstanding greatly exaggerated press reports of a 
case in Hyderabad.  The Government of India (GOI) continues 
preparations to deal with any potential outbreaks.  Airport 
screening has begun, though procedures are voluntary, inconsistently 
applied, and there have been suggestions of communication issues. 
Bhutan's Health Ministry is monitoring the situation but is not 
overly concerned with H1N1 flu at this time.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (SBU) As of noon local time May 1, India still has no cases of 
H1N1 in humans or livestock.  Hyderabad ConOff followed up with the 
Indian citizen returning from Texas that was identified by local 
media as a suspect case and was told that the individual was not 
exhibiting symptoms and had only inquired about measures in place 
and visited the quarantine site out of curiosity.  He claimed that 
reported accounts were wildly embellished and inaccurate.  Andhra 
Pradesh Health Secretary Mr. Subramanyam noted that following the 
media reports, both the individual and his parents underwent 
clinical examinations and that none tested positive for H1N1. 
India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOH) also confirmed 
there was no indication of H1N1 in this instance. 
 
¶3. (SBU) MOH issued a press release indicating India has implemented 
screening procedures at international airports and ports, though 
Mission inquiries suggest the screening is voluntary, haphazard, and 
suffers from a breakdown in communication between the central 
government and airports outside of Delhi.  An EmbOff arriving at New 
Delhi's international terminal on April 30 noted that despite the 
presence of counters, signs, and a few personnel wearing laboratory 
coats, screening was not mandatory and passengers were being asked 
to self-report if they had symptoms.  ConGen Kolkata's airport 
contacts said that as of May 1 they were still awaiting formal 
instructions from the Central Government - questionnaires had not 
been distributed to passengers and no screening was being conducted 
though facilities were in place to do so.  In Chennai, informal 
screening began on April 30 and formal screening was expected to 
begin that evening, even though they had not yet received the 
questionnaire from the Central Government. 
 
¶4. (U) In addition, the press release states the GOI has increased 
disease surveillance efforts, published an advisory recommending 
that travelers defer nonessential travel to affected areas, and 
issued guidelines to states and advised them to review their 
preparedness to investigate and contain any suspected cluster of 
influenza-like illness.  According to the press release and 
information from the MOH, personal protective equipment is being 
kept at the MOH's Regional Director Offices in 19 cities and 
Oseltamavir stocks will be increased from 1 million to 10 million 
doses to meet any emergent requirements. 
 
NEW DELHI 00000879  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
BHUTAN'S RESPONSE 
 
¶5. (SBU) During an April 28 meeting, Bhutan's Director of Public 
Health told the Mission's Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs 
that he had just requested all cases of flu-like disease in the 
country be reported to him through the health chain.  The director 
said that while Bhutan was not overly concerned, it was possible 
that someone from Mexico could end up in Bhutan with the virus. 
Therefore, the airport authorities would be asked to be vigilant in 
order to identify arriving passengers who were ill.  He said that 
his ministry had a very positive association with the U.S. military 
lab in Bangkok for serological analysis and support. 
 
MISSION ACTIONS 
 
¶6. (SBU) Mission continues to engage government and commercial 
contacts, and communicate within the Mission community about new 
H1N1 developments in India and around the world, but has not changed 
day-to-day procedures at this time. 
 
BURLEIGH