Bird flu confirmed in seabirds found dead on Isle of Man coast

More than 50 dead seabirds found washed up on beaches on the west coast of the Isle of Man this week had bird flu, the government has confirmed.

Samples taken from the birds, which were mainly guillemots, confirmed they had died from the highly contagious H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

It is the same strain confirmed in recentoutbreaks in seabird colonies in Scotland.

The birds were found at Fleshwick, Spaldrick, Niarbyl, and Kirk Michael.

There have also been reports of dead seabirds at Port Erin and near the Calf of Man on the south of the island.

The latest development follows an outbreak of bird flu in seabird colonies at Bass Rock in Scotland, with dead birds…

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