VZCZCXRO6668
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDF RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHRL #0704 1621618
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111618Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4334
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 9916
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0344
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 8040
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC 0112
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0752
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1473

UNCLAS BERLIN 000704 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/CE PETER SCHROEDER 
STATE FOR OES/IHB 
STATE FOR AID/GH/HIDN 
USDA PASS TO APHIS 
HHS PASS TO CDC 
HHS FOR OGHA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU ECON PREL SOCI CASC EAGR MX GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY H1N1 FLU UPDATE: 95 CONFIRMED CASES 
 
REF:  A) Berlin 695, B) Berlin 686, C) Berlin 672, D) Berlin 
663, E) Berlin 657, F) Berlin 641, G) Berlin 626, H) Berlin 
545, I) Berlin 537, J) Berlin 526, K) Berlin 518, L) Berlin 
512, M) Berlin 495, N) Berlin 488 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The number of H1N1 cases in Germany rose to 
95 on June 11, as nine more people were confirmed to be 
infected with the new virus.  Most of the new cases in Germany 
are occurring in children and young adults.   END SUMMARY. 
¶2. (SBU) On June 11, the National Reference Center for 
Influenza at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced in its 
press briefing nine new laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 in 
Germany. This increases the total number of confirmed cases in 
Germany to 95.  In 59 of the 95 (total, to date) cases, the 
infection occurred in the US and 21 of the infections were 
transmitted in Germany. 
 
School Children Contracted with the Virus 
----------------------------------------- 
¶3. (SBU)  According to media reports most of the new cases in 
Germany are involving children and young adults. A school in 
Duesseldorf and a day care centre in Munich have been 
temporarily closes to minimize the risk of further 
transmission to other children. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Two three-year old children from Munich (Bavaria) 
have been confirmed to be infected with H1N1.  One girl is 
treated at a hospital while a boy is treated at home. The 
kindergarten which has a total of 36 children will remain 
close for the next 10 days.  Additional cases of H1N1 were 
confirmed at a Japanese International school in Duesseldorf 
(North Rhine-Westphalia) where 27 children were tested 
positive for the virus.  The infection may have been 
transmitted by two children (3/6) of a Japanese family who 
were confirmed to be infected with the virus earlier this 
week. Both children visited the school.   A school in Cologne 
will also remain closed as students have called in sick 
reporting about flu-like symptoms. 17 of 34 six graders are 
currently at home.  Experts from RKI are on their way to 
Cologne to investigate the situation at the school. Media 
reports that in all cases the course of the virus is mild. All 
patients are treated at home. 
 
 
German Frigate confirmed to have a H1N1 case on board 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
¶4. (SBU) RKI confirmed yesterday in Berlin that the German 
frigate "Sachsen" had one case of H1N1 on board. A sailor 
showed flu-like symptoms shortly after the vessel left the 
Canadian port of Halifax in May.  The man was isolated and 
treated with Tamiflu.  It is reported that he has already 
fully recovered. No other crew members displayed flu symptoms. 
The "Sachsen" will returned to Wilhelmshaven, Germany on 
Saturday. 
 
 
Virus Mutation Likely 
---------------------- 
¶5. (SBU) The director of the Robert Koch Institute, JQrg 
Hacker, said on Thursday that Germany is currently 
experiencing a "small wave" of infections at the moment, but 
with the onset of the traditional influenza season in autumn 
the virus could likely mutate and come back, worsen the course 
of virus. As to date, RKI has reported that the course of the 
virus in all confirmed cases has been is mild. 
 
KOENIG