Dead birds scare at varsity

Malay Mail: Everyone at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) were shocked when four birds fell from the sky and died at their Petaling Jaya campus yesterday.
Many thought the birds could have been affected by the H5N1 bird flu virus that killed several chickens in Setapak and Gombak last week.
A lecturer, who wished to remain anonymous, was one of the two who discovered the dead birds.
“I was heading back to campus after having lunch with a friend. Suddenly, I heard flapping sounds and the next thing I knew, these birds fell out of the sky. Three of them died on the spot while another was gasping for air.
“We didn’t immediately think about the bird flu virus. We then informed the university’s administration department and the security personnel.”
Utar officials declined to comment on the matter.
Janess Ong, a final year public relations student said the incident was scary.
“I was attending a lecture when it happened. All the students suddenly dashed to the window to find out what had happened as we heard a commotion outside.”
The 24-year-old said the spate of bird deaths had prompted her to take precautions such as abstaining from eating chicken and be more alert to the disease’s symptoms.
The varsity’s aministration informed the Veterinary Services Department but no team was sent to investigate.
The department’s acting director-general, Datuk Dr Mustapa Abdul Jalil, said there was nothing to worry about.
“The death of a few birds at the same time is common. It is different if a flock of birds died at the same time.
“If that happens, we will send a team immediately to investigate if it is caused by the bird flu virus.”
He said Utar’s Section 13/6 campus, where the birds were found, is more than 10km from Setapak and Gombak, which are the hotspots of the bird flu outbreak.
“The possibility of the area being infected is low,” he said.
“However, I will inform the Shah Alam Veterinary Department to look into the matter.”