Four cases of avian influenza have been confirmed in wild birds in Kerry.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine says avian flu is circulating in wild birds, especially breeding seabirds around the coast.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine says since July, there’ve been 14 positive cases confirmed in wild birds in Ireland; four were in Kerry, while one was in Cork.
The department says while the risk of transmission to humans is considered very low, people are advised not to handle sick or dead wild birds.
It adds anyone travelling from an area known or suspected to be affected with avian influenza or where wild birds have been found dead, shouldn’t come into contact with poultry or captive birds without prior cleaning and disinfection of clothing and footwear.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine says poultry owners and keepers of captive birds are urged to maintain the highest standards of biosecurity to protect their flocks, adding strict biosecurity remains the number one preventative measure to the introduction of avian influenza into poultry and captive bird flocks.
Further information is available at www.gov.ie/birdflu.
