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Viewing cable 09BERLIN488, 3 SUSPECTED SWINE FLU CASES IN GERMANY / EMBASSY

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09BERLIN488 2009-04-28 05:31 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Berlin
VZCZCXRO0485
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDF RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHRL #0488 1180531
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280531Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3938
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0325
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 7959
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC 0097
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0714
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1449
UNCLAS BERLIN 000488 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR EUR/CE PETER SCHROEDER 
STATE FOR OES/IHB 
USDA PASS TO APHIS 
HHS PASS TO CDC 
HHS FOR OGHA 
STATE FOR AID/GH/HIDN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI CASC EAGR MX GM
SUBJECT: 3 SUSPECTED SWINE FLU CASES IN GERMANY / EMBASSY 
PREPARATIONS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 41768 
 
1.  (SBU) German media reported on April 27 that three 
Germans -- two men who recently returned from Mexico and a 
woman -- have been quarantined in the western city of 
Bielefeld after exhibiting swine flu-like symptoms. 
Preliminary tests on two of the patients did not support 
suspicions of swine flu, but both will remain in isolation, 
pending the results of additional tests.  At present, no 
further information is available on the third case. 
 
2.  (SBU) The Mission Germany Pandemic Influenza Working 
Group (PIWG) will meet by DVC on April 28, at 1400 local 
time, where they will review existing Mission tripwires for 
adequacy and completeness, discuss current posture and 
application of the no double standard policy, and ask open 
questions of the Health Unit. 
 
3.  (SBU) Mission Health Unit has confirmed adequate supplies 
of personal protective equipment (PPE) and antiviral 
medications.  Health Unit will increase surveillance for flu 
symptoms in the Mission and report regularly to 
STATE/MED/DASHO.  Mission Germany has reopened lines of 
communication with the local Berlin health authorities. We 
have also confirmed that the Robert Koch Institute, the 
German government-sponsored research institution charged with 
protecting public health and monitoring infectious diseases, 
will post situation reports and updates on their website 
http://www.rkL.de (German only). 
 
4.  (SBU) Our contacts at the Agriculture Ministry (BMELV) 
tell us that they view this outbreak as a human, rather than 
animal, disease outbreak.  That said, Germany has not imposed 
any trade restrictions in reaction to the swine flu outbreaks 
among humans in Mexico or the US.  They also indicated that 
veterinary issues are coordinated within the context of the 
EU, suggesting that Germany is unlikely to put any trade 
restrictions in place without EU Directives. 
Koenig