06:30 GMT, May 11, 2009 MIAMI | A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster departed Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., today with 30,000 personal protection kits destined for Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

With the threat of the influenza A/H1N1 virus raising concerns in the region, the United States worked in consultation with local government officials to identify countries in need of pandemic influenza preparedness supplies.

U.S. Southern Command, headquartered in Miami, directed the Air Force mission as a critical component of the U.S. Government´s international pandemic influenza preparedness efforts.

The aircraft is scheduled to deliver approximately 5,000 kits to health care officials in each of these six countries over the next 48 hours. Local officials will distribute the equipment to first responders for use in the event of an outbreak of the influenza A/H1N1 virus.

Each personal protection kit includes disposable respirators capable of screening 95 percent of particles as small as 0.3 microns; safety goggles; disposable overalls, gloves, shoe covers, and aprons; as well as infectious waste bags with biohazard symbols.

The donated shipment, valued at approximately $225,000, was transported to Charleston from a Department of Defense warehouse in Albany, Ga.

This SOUTHCOM mission supports the ongoing international preparedness efforts of the U.S. government, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Based on the existing threat of an influenza pandemic and in close coordination with other U.S. Government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of State, USAID has mobilized critical resources to help control the spread of the influenza A/H1N1 virus.

Today´s shipment is in addition to the 100,000 personal protective equipment kits, valued at more than $973,000 including transport, sent to Mexico City by USAID on May 2. HHS has also consigned 400,000 courses of Tamiflu, valued at approximately $10 million, to the government of Mexico to treat confirmed influenza A/H1N1 cases, as well as vulnerable individuals. In addition, USAID has committed $2.5 million to the Pan American Health Organization and $2.5 million to World Health Organization for influenza A/H1N1 response activities in Latin America and the Caribbean.