First bird flu cases found on Isle of Man since August

A case of avian influenza has been confirmed on the Isle of Man for the first time since August.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture said tests on two herring gulls had shown they had died from the highly pathogenic H5 strain.

The birds were found dead on Fleshwick beach in Rushen.

As the cases were in wild birds the government said no new restriction zones would be brought in.

However, people have been urged to not to touch sick or dead birds and keep away from wild birds.

The government's chief vet Amy Beckett said the current outbreak of bird flu in the UK posed a "very real risk" to domestic birds on the island.

While about 200 seabirds found dead on the Manx coast in July were thought to have died from the virus, the last confirmed case was in a peregrine falcon in August.

The latest discovery came in the wake of the UK's largest ever outbreak of bird flu and the introduction of strict biosecurity measures for farmed birds to stop further spread.

Dr Beckett, said: "There is a very real risk this winter due to the situation in the UK, so we urge people who keep birds to do everything they can to avoid them coming into contact with wild birds."

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