VZCZCXRO6001
PP RUEHAST RUEHCN RUEHDH RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
RUEHSL RUEHTM RUEHTRO RUEHVC
DE RUEHIN #1010/01 2310854
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190854Z AUG 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2154
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 4683
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RHMFIUU/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 2747

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 001010 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/IHA, OES/IHB FOR AMB LOFTIS, HHS FOR MARK 
ABDOO, CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID, BANGKOK FOR CDC BAGGETT, 
USDA/FAS FOR OFSO/WAINIO OSTA/HAMILTON, OCRA/BEILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC KFLU KFLO TBIO XE TW
SUBJECT: H1N1 UPDATE: SECOND DEATH RECORDED AS CASES TOP 
9,000 
 
REF: A. TAIPEI 756 AND PREVIOUS 
     ¶B. DEPT OF STATE COMMUNITY "MADE IN TAIWAN" POSTINGS 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Taiwan authorities estimate there are over 
9,000 individuals in Taiwan currently infected with H1N1. The 
island recorded its second H1N1 death last week, and a 
further three individuals are still hospitalized with severe 
cases.  Taiwan CDC (TCDC) is reviewing treatment guidelines 
after Taiwan this week reported its first severe case in a 
pregnant woman.  The Adimmune Corporation is reportedly on 
track to deliver 5 million doses of H1N1 vaccine production 
by the end of October.  TCDC has not reported an up-tick in 
H1N1 infections in areas affected by Typhoon Morakot, but 
notes that conditions in displaced-persons shelters could 
facilitate the transmission of new cases.  END SUMMARY. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Taiwan Records Second H1N1 Death 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On August 15, Taiwan recorded its second H1N1 death: 
a six year-old girl from southern Taiwan. (Note: the island's 
first death case was a 39 year-old male from northern Taiwan, 
who passed away on July 30 (Reftel b). End note.)  The young 
girl developed flu-like symptoms on July 25 and was checked 
into a medical care center five days later.  After two weeks 
of intensive care her symptoms worsened and she eventually 
succumbed to her illness.  Meanwhile, on August 15, Taiwan 
CDC (TCDC) announced its first severe case of H1N1 in a 
pregnant woman.  The 25 year-old female, who is 24 weeks 
pregnant, developed flu-like symptoms on August 9.  Her 
situation progressed into pneumonia on August 13, and she was 
subsequently confirmed to be carrying H1N1.  This patient is 
still under intensive care.  TCDC is working with the Taiwan 
Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology to develop treatment 
guidelines for pregnant women, who are at a higher risk for 
H1N1 infection.  TCDC recommends pregnant women receive 
priority for vaccinations, and will post new guidelines on 
its website when they are approved.  In total, TCDC has 
confirmed 25 severe cases of H1N1 island-wide.  Of these, 19 
patients have been treated and discharged, one remains in a 
public ward of the hospital, three are still in intensive 
care, and two have died. 
 
¶3. (SBU) TCDC confirmed on August 17 the largest H1N1 cluster 
infection so far in Taiwan.  374 new military draftees at a 
training center in Taichung developed flu-like symptoms on 
August 17, and TCDC has confirmed 81 are carrying H1N1.  TCDC 
says these patients are all exhibiting mild symptoms and the 
situation is under control.  TCDC reports that there have 
been a total of 43 H1N1 cluster infections in Taiwan, and 
estimates the total number of individuals infected with H1N1 
island-wide has reached at least 9,000. 
 
¶4. (SBU) TCDC Deputy Director Lin Ding confirmed to us that 
on October 1, TCDC will begin providing 2.99 million doses of 
free seasonal flu vaccine to the public, with people over 65, 
children between six months old and the fourth grade, medical 
personnel, animal husbandry workers, nursing home workers, 
and patients with rare or severe diseases receiving priority 
for inoculation.  Lin added that TCDC has contracted Adimmune 
Corporation, the Taiwan company producing an H1N1 vaccine, to 
provide 5 million doses to TCDC by the  end of October.  The 
company is reportedly producing 200,000 doses daily and will 
begin human clinical trials in early October. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Morakot Not Impacting H1N1 (So Far) 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) A TCDC official said there are currently no signs of 
increased H1N1 infection in areas affected by Typhoon 
Morakot, but warned of an increased likelihood of cluster 
infections in displaced-persons shelters.  Deputy Director 
Lin told us that following the typhoon, medical booths were 
set up in disaster areas, and that TCDC issued a waiver of 
H1N1 lab testing for flood victims so that they can receive 
Tamiflu if doctors suspect the possibility of H1N1 infection. 
 In addition, TCDC is providing free tetanus shots to 
soldiers and volunteers helping in relief efforts, because 
 
TAIPEI 00001010  002 OF 002 
 
 
skin traumas are relatively common among relief workers. 
Separately, Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao 
Zhi-guo, who is overseeing emergency operations from Taipei, 
told us last week TCDC has been effectively communicating 
with donors, and that there are no medicine shortages. Mao 
said some donated medicines were accepted but had to be 
discarded later because of improper labeling or 
non-compliance with Taiwan pharmaceuticals health and safety 
standards. 
WANG