VZCZCXRO5188
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHLI #0528 2810736
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080736Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7901
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHPD/AMCONSUL PONTA DELGADA 0626
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC

UNCLAS LISBON 000528 
 
SIPDIS 
 
HHS FOR CDC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC AMED KFLU ETRD EAGR ECON EC PGOV PO
SUBJECT:  PORTUGAL H1N1 UPDATE - OCT 7 
 
REF: LISBON 509 
 
¶1. Between September 21 and September 27 Portugal diagnosed 1,530 
new cases with flu symptoms. The majority of the cases (83 percent) 
were in continental Portugal, 16 percent in the Azores, and 1 
percent in Madeira.  Twenty-one patients, including six in intensive 
care, remain hospitalized.  To date, there have been two confirmed 
H1N1 fatalities. 
 
¶2. The first fatality was a 41-year-old Portuguese male who had 
emigrated to France and had returned briefly to Portugal on 
vacation.  He died from pneumonia and severe abdominal infection 
after complications from a 14-year-old kidney transplant.  The 
second fatality was a 49-year-old male, a conservative Popular Party 
(CDS/PP) mayoral candidate, who died of pneumonia and multiple-organ 
failure. 
 
¶3. As of September 22, three telecommunications networks, in 
partnership with Portuguese health officials, have been sending text 
messages advising people with flu symptoms to stay home, call the 
hotline, contact their physicians, reinforce hygiene measures, and 
avoid infecting others. 
 
¶4. The school year began September 14 registering over 500 
H1N1-infected students in 100 private and public primary and 
secondary schools, with the northern region of Portugal registering 
328 cases. All of the schools have remained open. 
 
¶5. The Health Ministry announced on October 2 that it will implement 
its H1N1 vaccination plan starting October 26.  Health 
professionals, essential non-health professionals, and women in 
their second or third trimester of pregnancy with pre-existing 
health conditions will be vaccinated.