VZCZCXRO2814
RR RUEHNZ RUEHPB RUEHPT
DE RUEHWL #0169/01 1700523
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190526Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0013
INFO RHEFHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0001
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0003
RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE 0001
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0004
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 0001
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0001
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0001
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0001
RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 0004
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0001
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 0001
RUEHSV/AMEMBASSY SUVA 0001
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0001
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000169 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
AIAG FOR WINN 
STATE PLEASE PASS DHHS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR KFLU ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, NZ 
SUBJECT: New Zealand H1N1 Sitrep, June 19, 2009 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. On June 18, the New Zealand Government announced 
a shift of its H1N1 strategy from one of "containment" to one of 
"management" of the virus. This move was prompted by increased 
volumes of confirmed and suspected cases of the virus received by 
the country's regional health authorities.  One key change in 
strategy is the new restriction placed on the public distribution 
of Tamiflu, - now being supplied to those patients with the most 
severe H1N1 symptoms.  Existing virus-related border controls and 
quarantines will remain in place.  The GNZ does not envision 
issuing any new travel advisories considering the breadth of the 
pandemic, although it is concerned about possible subsequent 
Pacific Island cases of H1N1.  The GNZ's new strategy indicates 
that it recognizes it is no longer able to contain the spread of 
HIN1 and that public distribution of its Tamiflu stocks must be 
tightly control. End Summary. 
 
GNZ's Shifts from Containing to Managing H1N1 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On June 18, the regional public health authorities in 
Wellington and Christchurch upgraded their strategy to deal with 
the H1NI virus.  Planning is now under way to shift the role of 
public health authorities from 'containment' of the virus to 
'management' of the pandemic.  Auckland's regional public health 
authority is expected to make the shift on June 22. The GNZ states 
that virus-related border controls and quarantines will remain in 
force. We anticipate the GNZ will publish its new "management" plan 
some time next week. 
 
Tamiflu Distribution under Tighter Control 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) Central to the strategic shift is the restriction now placed 
on the public distribution of the anti-viral drug, Tamiflu.  The 
Wellington and Christchurch regions, which include NZ's capitol 
city of Wellington and the largest city on the South Island 
respectively, will be the country's first regions to restrict the 
drug by public health services.  Wellington's Dominion Post 
newspaper reported that only patients within the Wellington region 
who exhibit serious H1N1 symptoms, or those with additional health 
issues, will now be provided with the drug. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The move from a strategy of virus containment to 
management is an acknowledgement by the GNZ that it is unable to 
contain spread of the H1N1 throughout the country and that its 
efforts to ensure a continuing adequate supply of Tamiflu is under 
threat from the growing pandemic.  In the initial stages of 
containment, health services were able to freely distribute Tamiflu 
as the volume of possible cases remained limited.  However, the 
increased volume of public concern over suspected cases of the 
virus prompted authorities to move their strategy to the next 
phase. 
 
Increase in Confirmed and Possible Cases Prompts Shift 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Wellington's Public Health Authorities report that both 
the increased number of confirmed cases and the volume of public 
anxiety over suspected cases have stretched its existing medical 
and human resources.  Said Wellington Regional Public Health 
officer Dr. Stephen Palmer, "[T]he situation is changing rapidly, 
we are only going to contain [the virus] to a certain extent." 
Palmer stated that 51 cases have been confirmed in the Wellington 
region - 16 in the last 48 hours.  The Dominion Post reported that 
one Wellington child is presently in isolation with a confirmed 
case of the flu, although hospital staff says the symptoms are 
mild.  According to the NZ Ministry of Health, the current number 
 
WELLINGTON 00000169  002 OF 002 
 
 
of H1N1 cases in NZ are 216 confirmed cases (158 active) and 18 
probable cases. 
 
 
 
Subsequent H1N1 Threat to Pacific Islands Possible 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Mary Oliver, from the Protocol Division of New Zealand's 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), told post that GNZ 
does not expect to issue any fresh travel advisories considering 
the breadth of the pandemic.  Oliver did express concern for the 
spread of H1N1 to islands in the South Pacific which may not have 
sufficient infrastructure to handle a pandemic outbreak.  According 
to Oliver, this is especially a concern with the coming of the New 
Zealand and Australian vacation season, with many vacationers 
choosing to visit these islands. 
 
 
 
GNZ Moves to Strengthen Health Services 
 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) The GNZ also announced that community-based health services 
throughout NZ were being strengthened to manage increased numbers 
of people with flu, in addition to support services for patients 
with other illnesses.  In the central North Island city of Rotorua, 
11 high school students have been quarantined by health authorities 
after two classmates tested positive for the H1N1 virus. 
KEEGAN