OUTBREAK OF ILLNESS IN A KIEN GIANG PROVINCE DISTRICT BORDERING ON KAMPUCHEA; POSSIBLE ATTRIBUTION TO CONTAMINATION BY CHEMICAL POISONS; SRV ESTABLISHMENT OF A CW/BW PREVENTION UNIT

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06157021
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2017
• Case Number: F-2012-01432
• Publication Date: January 27, 1983

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TOT: 270121Z JAN 83
C 0 1 ,1/,/' A L NOFORN WNINTEL
2701 1Z
TO: DIRN A, DEPT OF STATE, DIA, TREASURY DEPT,
ZEN/WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM, ZEN/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
STAFF, ZEN/CIA OFFICE OF CURRENT OPERATIONS,
CINCPAC HONOLULU HI, CINCPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI, CDRWESTCOM FT
SHAFTER HI, COMIPAC HONOLULU HI, CINCPACAF HICKAM AFB HI,
COMSEVENTHFLT.
SERIAL:
DIST:
PASS:
96 JANUARY lcIRS
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATE INTELLIGENCE.
REPORT CLASSCONFIDENTIAL- WNINTEL - NOFORN
DIST:
COUNTRY:
26 JANUARY 1983
VIETNAM/KAMPUCHEA
SUBJ: OUTBREAK OF ILLNESS IN A KIEN GIANG PROVINCE
DISTRICT BORDERING ON KAMPUCHEA; POSSIBLE
ATTRIBUTION TO CONTAMINATION BY CHEMICAL POISONS;
SRV ESTABLISHMENT OF A CW/BW PREVENTION UNIT
DOI:
SOURCE:
SUMMARY: VARIOUS SOURCES REPORTED AN OUTBREAK OF AN ILLNESS IN KIEN
GIANG PROVINCE BORDERING KAMPUCHEA. A PHYSICIAN DESCRIBED SYMPTOMS,
INCLUDING DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING, HIGH FEVER, AND VOMITING OF BLoop.
ALTHOUGH THE CAUSE OF THE OUTBREAK COULD NOT BE CONCLUSIVELY IDENTI-
FIED; SEVERAL SOURCES ALLEGED THAT THE DEATHS HAD BEEN CAUSED BY
CONTAMINATION FROM CHEMICAL POISONS.
TEXT: 1.
2. IN LATE SEPTEMBER 1982 THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROVINCIAL
INFECTIOUS DISEASE PREVENTION STATION BROADCAST A MEDICAL WARNING
OVER THE SRV KIEN GIANG PROVINCE RADIO STATION ALERTING THE POPULA-
TION TO AN OUTBREAK OF WHAT WAS CALLED AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE IN THE
HA TIEN AREA OF KIEN GIANG PROVINCE WHICH BORDERS ON KAMPUCHEA AND
PROHIBITING TRAVEL INTO OR OUT OF THE AREA. THE DIRECTOR, WHO IS A
MEDICAL DOCTOR, DESCRIBED SYMPTOMS WHICH INCLUDED DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING,
HIGH FEVER, AND VOMITING OF BLOOD; THESE SYMPTOMS WERE IN MANY CASES
FOLLOWED BY DEATH WITHIN ONE DAY. HE FURTHER STATED THAT EIGHTY PERCENT
OF THE CHILDREN AFFECTED BY THE DISEASE DIED IN A MATTER OF HOURS. ALTHOUGH
THE DIRECTOR ADMITTED THAT HIS PREVENTION STATION HAD BEEN UNABLE TO
IDENTIFY THE OUTBREAK, HE EXPLAINED THAT TEAMS WERE EXAMINING WATER
SUPPLIES AND OTHER POSSIBLY CAUSUAL FACTORS, SUCH AS MASS GRAVES ON
HE ALSO ADMITTED THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.
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REPORT CLASSCONFIDENTIAL-WARNING NOTICE - INTELLIGENCE
SnuRrFq ANn mFTHnng ThivnivFn - NnT prirAcIABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY
CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT.
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