People are being asked to report sightings of dead birds after an outbreak of bird flu in Cumbria. Cumberland Council said the disease, officially titled Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza H5N1, has been confirmed at a premises near Bootle.
There have been reports of dead wild birds along the west coast of the county. Bird flu is a well-known infectious disease of poultry and wild birds though other animals can also become infected.
Animal cases have been reported in the UK and across the world, but the risk to the general public's health is very low. Cumberland Council wants members of the public to report any dead bird sightings to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
