Avian flu, also known as bird flu has been recorded in the UK, with swans and animals such as otters and foxes being affected.

Numerous cases have been reported in Berkshire, affecting local towns and rivers.

Bird flu is an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds.

There are lots of different strains of bird flu virus but most of them don’t infect humans.

In October 2021, an outbreak of bird flu swept across the country, with more than seven million captive birds having died of bird flu or having been culled for disease control since.

There have been 282 cases of H5N1, avian influenza, in England since the outbreak started, according to figures released in January by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Where are the bird flu cases being reported in Berkshire?

According to the Office of National Statistics, there have been eight cases of bird flu in the area.

The local authority with the most bird flu cases in Berkshire is Windsor and Maidenhead with four recorded cases.

In Slough and Bracknell Forest two cases have been reported respectively.

Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham have not yet seen any recent cases of Avian Flu reported.

Advice to walkers:

In many areas where bird flu has been detected, such as Windsor Great Park, dog owners are being asked to keep their pets on leads around bodies of water.

People are advised not to pick up or touch wild birds or feathers and to avoid touching surfaces contaminated with wild bird droppings.