VZCZCXRO7451
RR RUEHAST RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDH RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHHI #0546/01 1630953
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120953Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9755
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5927
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3565
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 6129
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 1803
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0046
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0393
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 1659
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP/ISA/AP//
RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-3//
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//
RHEFAFM/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//
RUEHSUN/USUN ROME IT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000546 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, OES/STC, OES/IHA, MED, OGAC 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ASIA (MELLIS, DSHARMA, CJENNINGS) AND 
GH (GSTEELE, DCARROLL) 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (STERN) 
HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO FIC/NIH (RGLASS) AND OGHA (JKULIKOWSKI/ 
/MABDOO/SCUMMINGS/DMILLER) 
CDC FOR COGH (SBLOUNT), CCID (SREDD) AND DIV-FLU(NCOX/AMOEN) 
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA), FSIS 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC (MMALISON), USAID (MACARTHUR/MBRADY/CBOWES), 
APHIS, REO (HHOWARD) 
BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE (EYUAN) AND CDC (JMCFARLAND) 
PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR(BBRADY) 
ROME FOR FAO 
VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR (ACORWIN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED EAGR PINR KFLU VM
SUBJECT:  TFLU01: IN VIETNAM, INFLUENZA INFECTIONS GROWING, THOUGH 
LITTLE SECONDARY SPREAD 
 
Ref: A. HCMC 433 B. HCMC 429 C. HCMC 415 D. HCMC 338 
 
HANOI 00000546  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Vietnam continues to report new A/H1N1 infections, 
now totaling 23.  However, secondary transmission remains minimal, 
with only three instances of infection of family members.  At this 
time, the Government of Vietnam (GVN) is continuing preventive 
measures, including airport screening and proscribing voluntary 
quarantine for persons having close contact with those already 
infected.  Earlier Vietnamese preparations for a possible H5N1 
epidemic have made it easier for health officials to respond to the 
current H1N1 infections.  End Summary. 
 
A/H1N1 Infections Grow Steadily 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) As of June 12, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 23 
confirmed and two probable infections with the novel influenza 
A/H1N1 virus, including the first case outside of Ho Chi Minh City 
(HCMC), a 34 year old Hanoi resident who tested positive on June 9 
after he returned to the country on June 5 Korean airlines flight 
after a visit in the United States.  The numbers are now increasing 
daily.  Of cases in travelers, all but one originated in the United 
States.  Although only two of the cases were initially identified by 
screening at airport entry, there has to date been no evidence of 
wider community transmission.  Only three cases of secondary 
infection have been identified, each in family members of cases 
entering Vietnam from abroad.   The cases have involved mostly 
school-aged children and their parents; all cases have had 
relatively mild illness typical for seasonal influenza. 
 
GVN Continues Preventive Measures 
--------------------------------- 
¶3. (U) The GVN continues basic prevention and containment practices 
designed to limit entry into the country of infected persons and to 
prevent secondary transmissions.  As of June 11, the GVN continues 
airport screening.  On June 10, eight passengers at HCMC's Tan Son 
Nhat Airport were found with body temperatures above 38 degrees 
Celsius. They have been isolated at the Tropical Diseases Hospital 
and Children's Hospital No.1 pending test results.  The GVN is also 
continuing its policies of identifying close contacts of cases, 
proscribing voluntary quarantine at places of residence or in 
hotels, and advising immediate contact with health authorities at 
first signs of influenza-like illness.  MOH continues to call for 
general population to remain at home if they develop flu-like 
symptoms, or at least stay away from crowded places and inform 
health authorities for timely treatment.  Looking forward, GVN and 
local officials continue to plan responses should the infections 
spread.  Dr. Phan Van Nghiem of the HCMC Health Department said if 
more than 50 suspected patients are found, the officials will 
reassess trends and modify public health management strategies 
accordingly.   Seeking to limit the number of infected persons 
entering the country, the National Administration of Tourism has 
discouraged commercial tourism to countries with a high incidence of 
the novel H1N1 strain of influenza A virus and the MOH has "strongly 
recommended" that persons from infected zones delay their trips to 
Vietnam if they have influenza symptoms.  Despite anxiety over 
 
HANOI 00000546  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
tourism, General Director of Saigon Tourist, one of Vietnam's 
largest international tour operators, said their business has 
remained steady since the emergence this strain. 
 
Benefits of H5N1 Preparation 
---------------------------- 
¶4. (U) GVN preparations over several years for a possible pandemic 
of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) with the A/H5N1 strain 
have contributed to the Vietnamese response to H1N1.  MOH quickly 
put to use investments in investigation, prevention, and control. 
The national sentinel surveillance system for influenza and severe 
viral pneumonia form the basis for detecting and monitoring 
community spread and identifying complications of infection, 
respectively.   Infection control and biosafety practices used for 
HPAI are being applied to management of infection with the pandemic 
virus, as are surge procedures for patient management, isolation, 
and quarantine.  The national steering committee for human and avian 
influenza has seamlessly addressed the challenge posed by the novel 
A/H1N1, while the rapid response and control teams developed at 
national and local levels for pandemic threat from avian influenza 
are being applied to the current challenge using the same 
organizational structure, human and other resources.  Minister of 
Health Trieu has announced that all patients suspected of being 
infected with the pandemic virus will be isolated and given free 
treatment, noting that the MOH has more than 10 million capsules of 
Tamiflu in stock. 
 
Public Awareness Campaigns 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Both the GVN and the civil society have initiated public 
awareness campaigns.  Earlier this week, the Vietnam Red Cross 
Society tapped into GVN general disaster funds to kick off a 
national H1N1 awareness and prevention campaign.  USAID, through the 
Humanitarian Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (H2P), is exploring 
funding VNRC for a one year pandemic preparedness project to test 
and develop a national civil society response plan. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Just as non-USG donor interest for influenza has begun to 
wane here, Vietnam's response to the H1N1 influenza pandemic has 
demonstrated the effectiveness of international partnership, donor 
support, and technical assistance in all aspects of pandemic 
preparedness.  Because the clinical severity of illness has been 
mild to moderate, Vietnam's national response qualifies as a real 
time simulation exercise for a severe pandemic and, in a sense, has 
been treated as such by the government.  Importantly, the response 
has been measured and backed by reasonable communication to citizens 
and international partners. 
 
¶7. (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate General Ho Chi Minh 
City. 
 
PALMER