Cablegate: H1n1 Update: 22,110 Cases; Second Death Reported

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RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDF RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHPB
RUEHPOD RUEHSL RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHRL #1267 2820906
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090906Z OCT 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5437
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BERLIN 001267

AMCONSUL FRANKFURT
DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS
DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION GENEVA

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/CE PETER SCHROEDER
STATE FOR OES/IHB
STATE FOR AID/GH/HIDN
USDA PASS TO APHIS
HHS PASS TO CDC
HHS FOR OGHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU ECON PREL SOCI CASC GM
SUBJECT: H1N1 Update: 22,110 Cases; Second Death Reported

REF: Berlin 1236 and previous

1. (U) SUMMARY: The number of confirmed H1N1 infections in
Germany rose by 507 cases to 22,110 on October 8. RKI has
announced the death of a 5-year old boy from Munich (Bavaria)
who had been infected with H1N1. Germany hopes to start its
H1N1 vaccination program at the end of October. END SUMMARY

2. (U) At its October 8 press briefing, the National Reference
Center for Influenza at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
confirmed a total of 507 new (laboratory and non-laboratory)
H1N1 cases in Germany since October 7, increasing the total
number of H1N1 cases to 22,110. NRW remains the German state
with the highest number of confirmed virus cases with a total
of 5,987, followed by Bavaria (3,543) and Baden-Wuerttemberg
(3,246).

Second German H1N1 Death
------------------------

3. (U) A 5-year old boy from Munich (Bavaria) is the second
person infected with H1N1 to die in Germany. The boy was
considered to be a "risk patient" and had serious underlying
health conditions, particularly pneumonia, which led to his
death on October 5. According to RKI, H1N1 was found in his
blood. No information is currently available as to where the
boy might have contracted H1N1.

H1N1 Vaccination to Start in Late October
-----------------------------------------

4. (U) At an October 8 briefing hosted by the Federal German
Ministry of Health, officials stated that the H1N1 vaccination
plan for Germany is still under discussion. As previously
announced, Germany's proposed strategy is to vaccinate three
groups of people first: health care workers, people with
underlying health conditions, and pregnant women. Depending
on the epidemiological situation, Germany will then evaluate
if other groups should be vaccinated. Foreign residents
living in Germany will receive the vaccination; however,
foreign tourists in Germany should get vaccinated in their
home country. Germany hopes to begin the H1N1 vaccination
program at the end of October. Given the reluctance of
Germans to receive the H1N1 vaccine, RKI does not expect a run
on the vaccine this fall. The distribution of the H1N1
vaccine to the public will differ among the federal states,
but mainly will occur through the public health service.

5. (U) Considering the mild course of the H1N1 virus in
Germany, RKI expects fewer deaths to occur from H1N1 than from
seasonal influenza. As reported in REF, between 8,000 to
11,000 patients die every year from seasonal influenza in
Germany.

Pandemic Influenza Working Group
--------------------------------

6. (U) A core group of Mission Germany's Pandemic Influenza
Working Group met on October 7 to review the current H1N1
situation in Germany. Mission Germany remains at tripwire
two, which indicates clusters of infection with only localized
human-to-human transmission. All sections continue to
implement the Department's recommended preparations for a
potential increase in cases this fall.

MURPHY

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