VZCZCXRO1275
PP RUEHAST RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHNEH
RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHSL RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHBI #0333/01 2251142
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131142Z AUG 09
FM AMCONSUL MUMBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7394
INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 2620
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY 0001
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/USSTRATCOM OFFUTT AFB NE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUMBAI 000333 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PASS AIAG FOR AMBASSADOR ROBERT LOFTIS, HELEN REED ROWE, AND 
CRAIG SHAPIRO 
SDA PASS APHIS AND FAS 
DOT PASS SHATLEY 
FAA PASS TNASKOVIAK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL
PINR, EAGR, IN 
SUBJECT: MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT TAKES STEPS TO CONTROL SPREAD OF 
H1N1 
 
REF: New Delhi 1671 
 
MUMBAI 00000333  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.   (SBU)  Summary:  After a series of deaths due to the H1N1 
virus in Maharashtra, the state government has taken steps to 
control the spread of the disease, including temporarily closing 
schools, malls, and cinemas, as well as pulling anti-flu drugs 
off retail shelves.  With the media fanning fears, the shutdowns 
and accompanying scare have had a dampening effect on some 
sectors of the economy, though daily life seems to be going 
about as normal.  Mumbai's medical infrastructure is inadequate 
to handle the rush of patients seeking testing and treatment, 
and so steps have been taken to open up additional testing 
facilities, as well as to allow private hospitals to treat H1N1 
patients.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
H1N1 Arrives in Maharashtra 
 
--------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.   (U) On August 3, Maharashtra recorded its first death 
caused by the H1N1 virus, in Pune.  Since then, 14 others have 
died in Pune and Mumbai.  Currently, 15 of India's 20 H1N1 
fatalities have been in Maharashtra.  The number of reported 
infections has crept up as testing rates increase; at present, 
1,203 individuals in India have tested positive for the disease. 
 The World Health Organization reports that school-age children 
are at greatest risk of catching H1N1, a fact which was borne 
out when the disease spread rapidly through Pune schools. 
 
 
 
¶3.   (U)  The Maharashtra state government stepped into the H1N1 
fracas on August 12, asking all schools and colleges to close 
for a one-week period and all malls and cinemas to close for a 
three-day period.  Many public places (chain stores, gyms, etc.) 
have implemented their own flu policies, either requesting that 
sick/coughing/sneezing individuals stay away or else temporarily 
shutting down operations.  The Mumbai public, having recently 
experienced bubonic plague, SARS, and avian flu scares, is not 
panicking over H1N1.  However, individuals are taking steps 
perceived as protecting themselves and their families, including 
wearing surgical masks and keeping close to home.  The media has 
exacerbated fears by publishing photos of parents rushing 
children to hospitals and widely criticizing the efforts - and 
competence - of Maharashtra state officials. 
 
 
 
¶4.   (U)  Mumbai's medical infrastructure is currently unable to 
handle the rush of patients seeking testing and treatment.  At 
present, only one medical facility in the city is able to 
collect the throat swabs used to detect the H1N1 virus (the 
samples are further sent on to the National Institute of 
Virology in Pune for testing). The government plans to expand 
both sample collection and testing capabilities in the Mumbai 
area soon.  Private hospitals have been given authorization to 
accept H1N1 patients (previously, only government hospitals had 
this right), but the hospitals must first be "certified" by the 
government, a process which could take up to a week.  The 
government has banned the retail sale of Tamiflu, fearing that 
the public may make a run on the anti-viral drug, but claims to 
have stockpiled enough of the drug to treat three million people. 
 
MUMBAI 00000333  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
 
¶5.  (U) The National Institute of Virology announced August 12th 
that it cannot be relied on for diagnostic testing as it is 
receiving over 800 samples a day, 600 more than it can process. 
As a result, the government has instructed hospitals to start 
Tamiflu treatment for individuals with severe influenza symptoms 
rather than waiting for a positive or negative H1N1 test result. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) The pandemic is having a dampening effect on the 
economy, especially in the countryside, where it is exacerbating 
the impact of the current drought.  Stock prices for major 
retailers and movie chains fell after news of the three-day 
shutdown, while stock prices for pharmaceutical manufacturers 
rose.  On the surface, business in Mumbai is continuing on 
largely as usual, though the government has requested that 
stores tone down advertising and discounts for upcoming sales in 
order to prevent large gatherings of people.  Footfalls in malls 
and other shopping centers have reportedly fallen, as has air 
travel. 
 
 
 
¶7.  (U) The outbreak is being felt in political and cultural 
circles as well.  Organizers of events surrounding the "Dahi 
Handi" Hindu festival, in which hundreds of thousands gather to 
celebrate the birthday of the Krishna, have voluntarily scaled 
back their August 14th festivities.  The Maharashtra Chief 
Minister has also exhorted people to scale back celebrations of 
the extremely popular Ganesha festival, which starts on August 
24th. Political activists from the Shiv Sena and other parties 
agitated for the closure of schools, and fanned fears of an 
epidemic.  The Maharashtra government surely had its eye on the 
upcoming state elections in seeking to react quickly to the 
epidemic. 
 
 
 
¶8.   (SBU) Comment:  Currently the mortality rate for H1N1 in 
Maharashtra is very low, especially compared to the panoply of 
other diseases faced by the general population.  Its presence 
and spread in schools and other public places, however, has 
parents spooked, and the media has played on these fears instead 
of introducing notes of calm.  The Maharashtra government's 
intervention into the crisis is welcome, though many wonder if 
the state government would have the resources or competence to 
address a real public health emergency, should the situation 
worsen.  End Comment. 
FOLMSBEE