WEST Lothian residents have been warned after a case of avian flu was found in a dead swan at Linlithgow Loch.
Historic Environment Scotland, who own the loch, have put up warning signage around the site, urging members of the public to keep to footpaths and make sure dogs are on leads.
An outbreak of the disease occurred last month, resulting in a prevention zone across England and Scotland to mitigate the risk of spreading.
Though risk to humans is very low, a case of avian influenza was found in a human just last month in the West Midlands area.
The Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA) confirmed yesterday that a case of avian flu was found in a swan at Linlithgow Loch, West Lothian.
The public has been warned not to feed waterfowl in the area, not to pick up or touch sick wild birds, or to touch any feathers or surfaces contaminated with wild bird droppings.
West Lothian’s Trading Standards team have issued a reminder to not touch or pick up any dead wild birds unless absolutely necessary.
Dead waterfowl should instead be reported to Defra’s GB helpline, and dead birds on public land can be reported to the council.
The council has also issued advice on what to do should you need to dispose of a dead bird, which involves wearing protective gloves and placing the bird in two plastic bags before putting it in your grey bin.
Due to an outbreak of the disease earlier this year, it is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers in Scotland and England to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks.
Birds have to be kept indoors, but the RSPCA confirms that hens can be kept inside for 16 weeks when necessary before they are no longer allowed to be labelled as free-range.
Last week, the BBC confirmed that 1.8 million farmed and captive birds have been culled across the UK in the past three months, because of the spread of bird flu.
Defra stated, however, that this was just a small proportion of the industry’s total production which is around 20 million birds a week.
Food Standards Scotland advises that avian influenza poses a very low food safety risk for consumers which means that properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.
