C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000643
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/06/17
TAGS: ASEC, KFLU, AEMR, CASC, KFLO, TBIO, KSAF, KPAO, PREL, PINR
AMGT
SUBJECT: MGSF01: MUSCAT EAC H1N1 and July 4
CLASSIFIED BY: William K. Makaneole, Regional Security Office, DOS,
RSO; REASON: 1.4(G)
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On June 17, 2009, the ChargC) convened an
Emergency Action Committee (EAC) to discuss three confirmed cases
of H1N1 Swine flu involving three students who recently returned
from the United States after participating in the State Department
funded Youth Exchange and Study Program (YES). The EAC also
discussed the security plan for the upcoming July 4th Embassy
celebration. The EAC was attended by the ChargC), MGT, RSO, DAO,
PAO, CON, OMC, IRM, and ECA. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) On June 13, 2009, seven Omani students returned from the
United States after attending the YES Program. Upon entry into
Oman, all seven students passed initial H1N1 swine flu screening
conducted at the airport. On June 16, the Department advised
AMIDEAST that other, non-Omani YES students had tested positive for
H1N1 swine flu. AMIDEAST subsequently contacted the seven Oman YES
students and requested them to submit to further H1N1 swine flu
testing. During this screening, three of the seven YES students
tested positive for H1N1 swine flu. The infected students are
currently under quarantine for seven days with their families, and
they are all currently taking Tamiflu medications. Officials from
the Ministry of Health are monitoring the families and it is
reported that they are doing well. The two other YES students left
Oman for Pakistan and Zanzibar before they could be contacted.
3. (SBU) The Embassy has engaged with host country Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ministry of Education (MOE), and Ministry of
Health (MOH) contacts to determine the government of Oman's
response to address H1N1 swine flu and to determine how and when
the public was going to be notified of the confirmed cases. Oman's
MOH stated that they are disseminating the information via SMS text
message and also through traditional media outlets. The EAC
committee agreed that the government of Oman has reasonable
procedures in place to detect and isolate H1N1 swine flu in the
event of a potential pandemic.
4. (SBU) Based upon the current information regarding the three
confirmed cases of H1N1 swine flu in Oman, the EAC has taken the
following actions:
-The Embassy will hold a Town Hall meeting to inform COM and LES
staff of H1N1 swine flu symptoms and preventative measures.
-Notifications will be made through the Consular Warden System to
all American citizens to include ABA and TAISM Schools, American
businesses, and DHS personnel assigned to Salalah, Oman and U.S.
military and U.S. military contractors serving servin throughout
Oman.
-The EAC reviewed all Health and Environment trip wires associated
to a pandemic flu outbreak. The EAC committee agreed that based
upon the information regarding the three H1N1 swine flu cases at
this time, post will monitor the situation and reconvene another
EAC as additional information becomes available.
5. (C) RSO briefed the security measures for the upcoming July 4
celebration. The security measures for this event include
notifying the MFA of the approximately 50 COM personnel and/or
guests, an increased presence of RSO LGF and SD assets on venue as
well as local Royal Omani Police patrols. The EAC committee agreed
that the security measures implemented by RSO were deemed
appropriate. Note that this is not a diplomatic event, but an
Embassy community event.
HURTADO