VZCZCXRO1444
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHCH #0865/01 3101410
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061410Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8550
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUCPCIM/CIM NTDB WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 CHISINAU 000865 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UMB, EEB/IED, EEB/ESC, EEB/IFD/OMA, 
EEB/EPPD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EINV PGOV AMED MD
SUBJECT: AH1N1 INFLUENZA IN MOLDOVA 
 
CHISINAU 00000865  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Sensitive but not classified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The level of concern about H1N1 
influenza is rising in Moldova.  Though so far 
Moldova has only been hit by two deaths and 113 
confirmed cases, new cases are reported daily, (36 
on November 6), and both government and population 
are starting to feel jittery, particularly as the 
situation is much worse in neighboring Ukraine. 
The Government of Moldova (GOM) has asked the USG 
to provide 50,000 vaccines, and has also appealed 
to all embassies for vaccine donations.  We are 
exploring numerous possibilities for providing 
assistance to Moldova.  The Minister of Health 
held a press conference on November 5 to reassure 
the population that Moldova was not experiencing 
an epidemic.  However, the government has begun 
taking measures such as tightening airport 
vigilance, and extending the late-autumn school 
vacation to keep children home from school.  End 
Summary. 
 
A (H1N1) IN MOLDOVA 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Moldova has experienced two deaths 
connected to the new type influenza A (H1N1) 
virus, on October 23 and November 3.  The first 
victim fell ill following a return from Poland 
while the second victim had recently returned to 
Moldova from Moscow.   As of November 3, the media 
stated that laboratory tests had confirmed 29 
cases of pandemic flu in Moldova, while on 
November 4 the National Centre of Preventive 
Medicine (NCPM) announced that ten more cases of 
pandemic flu had been confirmed in the previous 24 
hours in Moldova, bringing the total to 39 people 
affected by the virus at that point.  According to 
reports on November 6, Moldova has 113 confirmed 
cases. 
 
H1N1 Spreading in the Region 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The spread of A (H1N1) in Moldova came 
against the backdrop of sensationalist news 
headlines and growing unease in Moldova over H1N1 
and its spread in the region.   Romania has 
confirmed 555 cases of pandemic flu, while Ukraine 
has reported more than 200,000 cases, with 70 
deaths.   Moldovans have little confidence in the 
local, decrepit public health system.  The 
epidemic in Ukraine spurred a run on some 
drugstores in Moldova; during the last few days, 
masks and antiviral preparations have disappeared 
from many pharmacies.  Ukrainians who live near 
the border with Moldova have purchased entire 
stocks of antiviral preparations and masks in 
Otaci and Soroca and other towns near Moldova's 
Ukrainian border. 
 
A Request fromQand a Misstep byQthe GOM 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) On November 2, Foreign Minister Leanca 
asked the Ambassador if the USG could provide 
50,000 doses of vaccine.  This was followed by a 
written request from the Ministry of Health 
requesting vaccines for A (H1N1) flu virus for 
immunizing the population in high-risk categories, 
including pregnant women, children under two years 
old, and patients with chronic maladies.   In a 
session of Parliament on November 3, Minister of 
Health Vladimir Hotineanu called on foreign donors 
to provide vaccine and said that the American 
Embassy had already responded by promising 50,000 
doses of vaccine.  (Note:  Hotineanu spoke out of 
turn, and we have informed the GOM of the 
difficulties in and options for obtaining 
vaccines, and that while we are actively seeking 
sources of help, we can make no specific promises. 
End Note.) 
 
Other Sources of Assistance 
--------------------------- 
 
 
CHISINAU 00000865  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) UNICEF's Chisinau office has told us 
that Moldova, along with eight other countries in 
the region, is scheduled to receive 400,000 doses 
of vaccine from WHO's H1N1 stockpile, a figure 
calculated to cover approximately 10 percent of 
the population.  However, because of Moldova's 
Category 2 status, the first tranche of 80,000 (2 
percent of the population) is not scheduled to 
arrive until December, and the full distribution 
is not expected until May 2010.  Priority for the 
first doses will be given to health care workers. 
The GOM has requested 500,000 doses from the WHO. 
Buying sufficient vaccines on the open market (at 
a cost between USD 2.50 and USD 20 per dose, 
depending on concessions and ability to pay) is 
out of the question for the financially strapped 
government. 
 
GoM Measures and Social Reactions 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Already in September, the municipal 
government in the capital Chisinau began 
installation of soap dispensers and hand dryers in 
the 144 schools in Chisinau to prevent infection 
with the virus.  With the recent outbreak on its 
borders, the GOM also has begun taking 
prophylactic measures.  Airport employees who are 
in direct contact with passengers have been 
ordered to wear gloves and disposable masks.  The 
government is also attempting to reduce vectors 
for the spread of the virus by extending school 
holidays, adding ten days (November 9-20) to the 
regular late autumn break taking place this week 
(November 2-6).  The government has recommended 
that parents not send their children to 
kindergartens.  At least one conference Q a 
gathering of the Youth Governing Institute in 
Moldova, scheduled for November 9 Q has been 
postponed for at least two weeks.  Moldova State 
University has been placed on quarantine; the 
rumor among the students is that some professors 
are infected. 
 
GoM Actions and Efforts to Reassure Population 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7. (SBU) A Republican Extraordinary Anti-Epidemic 
Commission has been established, and has prepared 
an action plan on measures to prevent, combat and 
intervene in cases of pandemic flu.  Prime 
Minister Filat chaired a meeting of this 
commission on November 2, and has asked for a 
daily briefing on H1N1.  The Commission will meet 
again on November 6.  The Ministry of Health 
convened a meeting of heads of Moldovan public 
medical institutions on November 3 to discuss 
hospitals' preparations. 
 
¶8. (SBU) On November 5, the Minister of Health 
convened a press conference.  Seeking to reassure 
the population, he stressed that the situation in 
Moldova is much better than in the neighboring 
countries and insisted that there is no flu 
epidemic in Moldova.  He defined an epidemic as 
the presence of 750 cases of infection per 100,000 
population.   The Minister reported that only 65 
cases had been confirmed in Moldova at that point. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Nonetheless, the media report that the 
demand for anti-flu drugs and masks has risen 
significantly over the past week.  Many drugstores 
have used up all their stocks.   Minister of 
Health Hotineanu acknowledged that there was a 
shortage of anti-flu drugs and masks. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) While the level of infection in Moldova 
is still comparatively low, the level of concern 
here is rising rapidly.  The good news is that the 
government is mobilizing and attempting efforts to 
address preventing the spread of the virus. 
However, we have not seen any educational efforts 
noting the low lethality rate of H1N1 compared to 
normal seasonal influenza or encouraging measures 
 
CHISINAU 00000865  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
such as washing hands.  In the interests of 
prevention and support for the new government, we 
will continue our efforts to assist the GOM. 
 
CHAUDHRY