VZCZCXRO6370
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDF RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHSL RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHRL #1012/01 2311541
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191541Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4982
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0143
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0400
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 8230
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC 0169
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0836
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1548

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 001012 
 
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: H1N1 UPDATE: 12,830 CONFIRMED CASES 
 
REF:  A) Berlin 1007, B) Berlin 1001 and previous. 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The number of confirmed H1N1 infections in 
Germany increased over the past two days by 710 new cases, 
bringing the total as of August 19 to 12,830.  The daily rate 
of increase has slightly declined.  On August 19, the Cabinet 
approved a Health Ministry regulation on establishing 
procedures for mass vaccination for this fall.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (U)  At its August 18 press briefing, the National 
Reference 
Center for Influenza at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) 
confirmed a total of 373 new (laboratory and non-laboratory) 
H1N1 cases in Germany, increasing the total number of H1N1 
cases to 12,493.  New cases were distributed among six federal 
states: North Rhine-Westphalia (126), Lower-Saxony (113), 
Baden-Wuerttemberg (78), Bavaria (44), Hamburg (8), 
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (3) and Berlin (1). 
 
¶3. (U)  At its August 19 press briefing, the National 
Reference 
Center for Influenza at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) 
confirmed a total of 337 new (laboratory and non-laboratory) 
H1N1 cases in Germany over yesterday.  This increases the 
total number of H1N1 cases to 12,830.  New cases today were 
distributed among twelve federal states: North Rhine- 
Westphalia (110), Baden-Wuerttemberg (64), Rhineland- 
Palatinate (47), Hesse (22), Saxony-Anhalt (22), Hamburg (19), 
Saxony (13), Berlin (11), Brandenburg (9), Thuringia (8), 
Lower-Saxony (7) and Bremen (5). 
 
¶4. (U)  RKI reported that the daily increase rate of new 
confirmed cases has slightly decreased over the past few days. 
(Comment: According to Post statistical records, the 7 day 
moving average of the daily growth rate has recently dropped 
to three percent, from a recent high of 15 percent in late 
July. To date we have noted two periods of marked increase of 
infection in Germany, with roughly 40-day periods between 
peaks and troughs.  Our data suggests that we are entering 
another trough. End Comment.)  According to RKI, 510 of the 
total 710 new cases are attributed to people returning from 
travel abroad.  New cases include also non-laboratory H1N1 
cases from people who exhibited symptoms after being in 
contact with a laboratory confirmed infected person.  So far, 
all new cases are reportedly mild. 
 
¶5. (U)  North Rhine-Westphalia remains the German state with 
the highest number of confirmed virus cases with a total of 
4,482, followed by Lower-Saxony (2,185) and Baden-Wuerttemberg 
(1,521 cases).  About 23 percent (2,946) of all confirmed 
infections in Germany have resulted from domestic 
transmission. 
 
¶6. (U)  The cabinet passed a Health Ministry regulation on 
August 19 that regulates the H1N1 vaccination planned for this 
fall. According to the regulation, health companies will have 
to cover the costs of vaccinating the first 50 percent of the 
German population (41 million people).  For the other half, 
the government and Laender will use tax revenues to pay for 
the costs. Health Minister Ulla Schmidt (SPD) said that anyone 
who would like to be vaccinated against the new flu will 
receive it.  A vaccination series (which will consist of two 
doses) will cost 28 Euro.  Priority will be given to 
individuals who are likely to have contact with infected 
people such as medical personnel, police and fire officers as 
well as people with medical conditions, including pregnant 
women.  The execution of the mass vaccination is the 
responsibility of the federal states. 
 
 
German Export Not Affected by New Flu 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U)  According to the German Chamber of Commerce and 
Industry (DIHK), Germany's foreign trade has not yet been 
 
BERLIN 00001012  002 OF 002 
 
 
affected by the new flu development.  However, DIHK's foreign 
trade expert Axel Nitschke warned that a lack of hygiene 
standards could cause a further spread of the virus which 
could lead to significant consequences for the global economy. 
"Until all employees of a company have been vaccinated, the 
company could have come to a stand still stand", he said. He 
said that companies should take precautionary measures.  So 
far, the influenza pandemic has reportedly had only a slight 
effect on the tourism industry. 
 
 
POLLARD