Intelligence Summary 3 October - 9 October

Belgium Reports 4,160 New Cases Of H1N1
8 October 2009

Interministerial Influenza Commission (BRUSSELS) — Out of 18,772 patients in Belgium who went to the doctor for flu-like conditions, experts estimate there were 4,160 new cases of A/H1N1 flu in the last week. Since the outbreak of the A/H1N1 pandemic in late April, doctors in Belgium reported 12,678 H1N1 cases and two deaths related to H1N1 complications. (Reliability: Very High, 54.92)

Analysis: It is highly likely H1N1 rates will follow current trends and continue to rise in Belgium. Belgium’s hospitals are almost certainly prepared to handle a pandemic as widespread as H1N1, and they will likely begin administering vaccines to all high risk populations and a large portion of the general population in the next two weeks. (Analytic Confidence: Medium)

China, Belgium Vow To Seek Stronger Ties
7 October 2009

Xinua (BRUSSELLS) — China will work with Belgium to improve political trust and substantial cooperation to make new progress in bilateral ties, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said here Wednesday. Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, Xi put forward a four-point proposal to cement bilateral ties: to maintain high-level contacts and political dialogues; to consider the core interests and concerns of each other; to actively boost tangible cooperation, including investment and technological cooperation; and to increase human and culture exchanges. (Reliability: High, 46.42)

European Farmers’ Anger Spills Into the Streets of Brussels
5 October 2009

A farmer protesting low milk prices sprayed milk at riot police in Brussels.

NYTimes (BRUSSELS) — After months of complaints by European dairy farmers angry over low prices, protesters poured milk onto the streets, hurled eggs, and started fires in Brussels on 5 October. Hundreds of tractors blockaded the area outside the European Union’s headquarters while agriculture ministers met in an emergency meeting. The gathering of ministers, which convened after pressure from France, failed to produce any breakthroughs apart from a decision to set up a committee to report on the dairy industry in June. (Reliability: Very High, 51.67)

Comment: Last month dairy farmers spilled three million liters of milk onto their fields to protest low milk prices, which they hoped to raise from USD .26 to USD .35 per kilo. French milk producers declare they will go bankrupt if milk prices do not increase.

EU Takes Belgium To Court Over Gas Contracts
5 October 2009

Reuters (BRUSSELS) The European Commission said on Thursday it would take Belgium to court over exemptions the country applies to gas transit contracts. "The European Commission decided today to commence infringement proceedings against Belgium as the Belgian law of March 10 2009 which lays down exemptions for natural gas transit contracts, infringes Community law establishing an internal market," the European Union's executive said in a statement. (Reliability: Very High, 51.67)

Eleven EU Countries Report Increasing H1N1 Activity
9 October 2009

European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (STOCKHOLM) — Ireland reported high intensity influenza-like illness activity and Belgium, Malta, Spain and the UK (Northern Ireland) reported medium intensity activity this week. Belgium, Ireland and the UK (England and Wales) reported widespread activity. Eleven countries reported increasing intensity activity compared to week 39. Four countries reported 323 newly diagnosed probable and
confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1). (Reliability: Very High, 60.9)

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Email: jmarsh42@mercyhurst.edu
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