VZCZCXRO1379
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHTH #1389 2121518
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311520Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0517
INFO RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS

UNCLAS ATHENS 001389 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR OES/IHB 
STATE FOR USDA/FAS/OSTA 
STATE PASS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 
STATE PASS CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC CASC KFLO KFLU AEMR TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, GR 
SUBJECT: GREECE H1N1 FLU UPDATE: 730 CONFIRMED CASES; NATIONAL ACTION 
PLAN ANNOUNCED 
 
REF: 09 ATHENS 691; 09 ATHENS 1035 
 
¶1. SUMMARY.   As of July 29, according to the Greek Ministry of 
Health, there have been 730 confirmed H1N1 cases in Greece.  Although 
there have been no fatalities so far, three serious cases of flu 
implications are being treated in the intensive care units of Greek 
hospitals.  Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos announced on July 
15 that the Ministry was stepping up measures and moving on from 
simply recording incidents to action for preventing the spread of the 
virus. He said that 8 million vaccines have been ordered and that 
vaccination of high-risk groups would begin in the fall, when a new 
vaccine is expected to be ready.  The Minister stressed on July 28 
that the National Action Plan prepared to face the pandemic will be 
updated every two weeks in accordance with the development of the new 
flu and all available data.  Meanwhile, sensational press reports in 
the last few weeks forced medical associations to suggest remaining 
calm and avoiding exaggerated reaction. END SUMMARY. 
H1N1 Cases 
---------- 
¶2.  As of July 29, the Greek Ministry of Health announced that there 
have been 730 confirmed cases of H1N1 infection in Greece. The Greek 
health authorities estimate that the number of patients may be higher 
as some patients have not needed hospitalization or other medical 
assistance, meaning that these cases go unrecorded.  Of the 730 
confirmed cases, about 95 percent have fully recovered, and the rest 
are receiving medical care either in hospitals or at home for mild 
symptoms of the new influenza.  Three individuals, however, are 
hospitalized in serious condition in the intensive care units of 
hospitals in Crete and Athens.  Whereas in the beginning of the 
pandemic, recorded incidents involved people that had travelled to 
Greece from abroad, in the last month, authorities have observed an 
increase in secondary transmission of the virus, micro-epidemics, and 
clumping of incidents. 
Private American Citizen Cases 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3. The Consular Section is unaware of any cases of American citizens 
currently under treatment for H1N1 in Greece.  Fourteen students from 
Johnson and Wales University were tested positive and treated at the 
AHEPA hospital in Thessaloniki on July 2nd but were released on July 
¶6.  Their cases were described as minor.  Two other citizens were 
briefly quarantined in Athens in late June.  To date, we are aware of 
twenty seven cases of private American citizens who tested positive 
for H1N1, all of the diagnoses coming in the last weeks of June and 
early July. 
 
GoG Response: A National Action Plan 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos announced on July 15 that 
the Ministry was stepping up measures and moving on from simply 
recording incidents to taking action to prevent the spread of the 
virus. He clarified that the GoG's emphasis will shift from merely 
recording cases to assessing their gravity and likely complications. 
A total of 1,000 beds have been made available in hospitals 
nationwide for patients that develop complications, but the GoG is 
prepared to make more available by September.  The Minister said that 
8 million vaccines have been ordered and that vaccination of 
high-risk groups will begin in the fall, when a new vaccine is 
expected to be ready.  On July 28, the Minister stressed that the GoG 
has prepared a National Action Plan to respond to the pandemic, and 
it will be updated every two weeks in accordance with the development 
of the virus.  Details of the National Action Plan will be revealed 
in the next few days, following its submission to the Prime Minister 
and political party leaders. 
Sensational Press Reports 
------------------------- 
¶5.  H1N1 has been attracting front page attention in the Greek press 
in the last few weeks, particularly after the first serious cases of 
patients needing intensive care after developing pneumonia were made 
known.  For example, headlines have included the following titles: 
"Killer Flu"; "Three in Critical Condition"; "Experts Fear Thousands 
Will Need Intensive Care"; "Pharmacies Have Run Out of Medical 
Masks". These sensational press and TV reports have forced the 
Medical Associations of Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as prominent 
doctors and epidemiology professors, to urge that people remain calm 
and exercise better judgment, emphasizing that the virus of panic is 
far more dangerous than the virus of any flu. 
SPECKHARD