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Viewing cable 09MERIDA133, SPIKE IN H1N1 INFLUENZA CASES IN YUCATAN RAISES MILD

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09MERIDA133 2009-07-20 19:59 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Merida
VZCZCXRO1868
RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHRD #0133 2011959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201959Z JUL 09
FM AMCONSUL MERIDA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4846
INFO RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 1430
RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUEHRD/AMCONSUL MERIDA 2202
UNCLAS MERIDA 000133 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/MEX, WHA/PDA, OES/IAB, MED/DASHO, MED/DIR, CA/OCS, PA, EEB, DS/IP/WHA 
MEXICO FOR POL, USAID, RSO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT AMED CASC TBIO ASEC KFLU KSAF KSEO KPAO
SUBJECT: SPIKE IN H1N1 INFLUENZA CASES IN YUCATAN RAISES MILD 
CRITICISM ABOUT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY 
 
1.      (U) Summary:  Confirmed cases of H1N1 in the State of 
Yucatan are increasing but the public remains largely 
unconcerned.  Some local officials speculate that the rise in 
cases is due to respiratory problems caused by seasonal rains. 
Others argue that lax testing methods concealed the true number 
of cases until recently.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
2.      (U) To date, the State of Yucatan has registered 1,976 
cases of Type A H1N1 Influenza, with 53 persons currently 
hospitalized.  The State has the second highest rate of 
infection after Mexico City, which has registered 2,142 cases. 
Chiapas follows in third place with 1,777 registered cases. 
There have been eight confirmed deaths in the State of Yucatan 
attributed to the virus.  Yucatan Secretary of Health Dr. Alvaro 
Quijano-Vivas attributes the increase in cases to seasonal 
climatic changes, in particular recent heavy rains, which are 
causing respiratory problems in the general population, and to 
the fact that a new laboratory facility, inaugurated two weeks 
ago greatly expanded the capacity of the State to test and 
detect the H1N1 strain. During the first ten days that the 
laboratory was open, 360 new cases were diagnosed. 
 
 
 
3.      (U) Local authorities have received mild criticism in 
recent days for under-reporting actual cases and only testing 
the very ill for the possibility of H1N1.  Local media reported 
that Dr. Miguel Gamboa-Gamboa, Head of Infectious Diseases at 
the Clinica de Merida, estimated that the total number of cases 
could be three times that reported by State officials.  In a 
subsequent conversation with Merida's Principal Officer, Dr. 
Gamboa backed down from his statements reported in the media and 
echoed the Secretary of Health's opinion that the increase was 
seasonal.  The Governor's office was silent until yesterday, 
when she finally spoke to the press and reinforced the Health 
Secretary's recommendations for preventing the spread of 
influenza:  washing hands frequently, not touching your face, 
and seeing a doctor instead of self-medicating if ill. 
 
 
 
4.      (U) Comment:  The local population appears largely 
unconcerned about the virus, even though some schools closed out 
the year earlier than anticipated due to a large numbers of 
students with cold and flu-like symptoms.  The "social 
distancing" restrictions in place during the height of the 
crisis are not currently in place and the impact on tourism is 
negligible.  Although the State Secretary of Health says they 
are continuing with their campaign of prevention, they admit 
that the rise in cases is in part due to a lack of concern and 
attention within the local population, which could be addressed 
by a more aggressive public campaign.  End comment. 
 
MARTIN