Visitors to park warned to not touch dead birds after suspected outbreak of killer flu

Visitors to Pickering Park are being asked to practice “good hand hygiene” and not to touch dead birds of any kind.

About 48m birds have been culled in the UK and EU in the past year after the largest avian flu outbreak on record.

Measures to limit the spread of the disease are in place in an attempt to protect commercial flocks.

B ut the next few weeks will be critical as migratory waterfowl gather at their wintering sites, increasing the risk of infection.

Eight cases have been confirmed of the H5N1 strain just this week – including on Thursday at premises near Northallerton in North Yorkshire.

A 3km "protection” zone and 10km “surveillance” zone have been put in place around the farm.

Hull Council said: “The bodies of several wild waterfowl birds have sadly been found in the vicinity of Pickering Park over the past week.

"In-line with national advice, we have been liaising with Defra over the safe collection and subsequent testing of the birds. It is not yet confirmed that the deaths are due to avian influenza, however this is very likely.”

The council said people should avoid walking in areas where waterfowl congregate on river banks, or near ponds or lakes to avoid taking contamination back home on their shoes and spreading it to chickens or birds kept in an aviary.

It said any risk of avian flu transferring to humans is extremely low and poultry remains safe to eat.

Additional biosecurity measures have been put in place to protect the caged birds kept at Pickering Park.

All birds kept at council sites were “currently safe and well”.