VZCZCXRO7375
PP RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHHK #1075 1630845
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 120845Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7834
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA

UNCLAS HONG KONG 001075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES/IHB AMBASSADOR LOFTIS, DEPT FOR EAP/CM, DEPT 
FOR CA/OCS/EAP, DEPT FOR M/PRI, DEPT FOR SES-O, HHS FOR 
OGHA, CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMED AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC KFLO KFLU KPAO KSAF
MG, PINR, PREL, TBIO, HK, CH 
SUBJECT: HONG KONG H1N1 UPDATE - EAC MEETING IN RESPONSE TO 
WHO DECLARATION AND HKG ACTIONS 
 
REF: A. A) HONG KONG 1065 
     ¶B. B) HONG KONG 802 
 
¶1.  Post's Emergency Action Committee (EAC) met June 12 to 
review pandemic tripwires and reassess our readiness in 
response to the World Health Organization's (WHO) 
announcement of a Phase 6 Pandemic Alert and the Hong Kong 
Government's (HKG) announcement of community transmission 
(Reftel A), both on June 11.  The EAC reviewed steps taken to 
date, our previous assessment of crossing the Tripwire 2 
threshold (Reftel B) and additional steps required in light 
of the changed situation. 
 
¶2.  This public health crisis includes events across the 
tripwire spectrum, such as the WHO Pandemic Phase 6 
declaration.  The EAC felt that the relatively low morbidity 
and mortality of the current strain of H1N1 compared to Avian 
Influenza (AI), which was the baseline for our tripwires, 
calls for a more measured response.  Post will remain at 
Tripwire 2 and will continue to review our status and actions 
as the situation evolves. 
 
¶3.  In response to the community outbreak in Hong Kong, Post 
is taking the following steps: 
- Health Unit staff will conduct a second round of meetings 
with personnel in each section/office for continuing training 
on infection prevention. 
- The Management Section will review and, if necessary, 
revise guidance to TDY travelers, to ensure they are 
well-informed before they depart the United States about the 
possibility of quarantine when they arrive in Hong Kong. 
- The Consular Section will continue asking NIV and ACS 
applicants to self-screen for illness before entering waiting 
rooms. 
- In light of the summer travel and transfer season, The 
Management Section will coordinate pandemic in-briefs for 
newly arrived personnel and employees and their family 
members returning from the United States in the months of 
July and August. 
DONOVAN