Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo hosted a conference call this morning with federal officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and several local leaders from Guam to discuss the island’s preparedness for avian flu.

“Hosting today’s teleconference facilitated the information-sharing processes that will enable the Government of Guam to best prepare for an outbreak of avian flu. CDC officials informed me in today’s discussion that our island has no current risk of H5N1 on the island. Although this news will serve as a source of relief for many, it is critical to continue preparations for an international pandemic,” Bordallo stated.

The conference call included the following participants:

• Representative from the Office of Governor Felix Camacho
• Representative from the Office of Lieutenant Governor Kaleo Moylan
• Speaker Mark Forbes
• Representative for Chairman Mike Cruz
• Annette Aguon, Communicable Disease Control 3, Supervisor of Immunization Program, Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS)
• Dr. Suzanne Sison, Chief Public Health Officer, DPHSS
• Cindy Navel, Planner for Bioterrorism, DPHSS
• Dr. Robert Haddock, Territorial Epidemiologist
• Paul Bassler, Director of Dept. of Agriculture
• Dr. James Stadler, Medical Director of the Guam Memorial Hospital
• Gerard Bautista, Acting Air Terminal Manager/Superitendent of Operations, Guam International Airport Authority
• Sara Whiley—Infectious Diseases Department, CDC
• Timothy M. Uyeki, Medical Epidemiologist, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Disease
• Rachel Eidex, Associate Director for Science for the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, National Center for Infectious Disease
• Jim Baker, Project Officer for Guam, Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response
• Peg Haering, Pandemic Planning Liaison, Division of State and Local Readiness, Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response