Bird Flu Suspected on Island

After reports of dead sea birds being found on the island’s coastline, the gov is advising bird keepers to do what they can to be bio secure.

DEFA have has a number of reports of dead birds on the beaches on the west and the south of the island.

Officers have collected dead birds and samples have been taken, the results will probably take about a week to come back, but the department said ‘we suspect high pathogenic avian influenza’.

The gov added: ‘No zones or restrictions have been put in place but we are urging anyone that keeps birds to practice good biosecurity and try to reduce any contact the kept birds may have with wild birds. Although it currently only seems to be affecting seabirds, these birds obviously come into contact with inland birds and may pass the virus on.

‘The risk to human health from the virus is currently low and we are asking members of the public not to touch any wild dead or visibly sick birds. Officers within DEFA have been working actively to collect the dead birds that have been reported.’