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  Channel NewsAsia 17 Dec 05
Flu fears as thousands of migratory birds die in Malawi
by AFP

BLANTYRE - Fears that avian influenza may have reached Malawi are on the rise after thousands of migratory birds dropped dead in the centre of the southern African country, officials said Friday.

"Police were alerted that scores of villagers were feasting on the mysterious 'mana from heaven'," said Wilfred Lipita, livestock and animal director in Malawi's agricultural ministry. "We have cautioned them not to eat the dead birds since they may contain avian flu which has proved to be deadly to humans in other countries," Lipita told AFP.

The H5N1 bird virus has killed more than 70 people through Asia since 2003. World health bodies have warned that once the virus achieves the ability to transmit from human to human, millions of people could die.

Malawi has not reported any cases of avian flu, but Lipita said it was "unusual for birds to die in their thousands in a short time."

He said the birds called the Common Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) -- locally called the "Namzemze" -- started dropping dead early this week at a hill in Ntchisi district, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) east of the administrative capital Lilongwe.

Locals started collecting to eat the birds, which were believed to have migrated from Israel after one of them had a ring enscribed with the word "Israel" on it.

Malawi has sent blood and tissue samples to South Africa as it was the only southern African country with the capacity to test for bird flu, Lipita said. The country has set up a task force to deal with bird flu should the tests be confirmed. - AFP /ls
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