Bird flu case confirmed in gull on Kent coast

A case of bird flu has been confirmed in a gull in Kent, Thanet District Council says

A case of bird flu has been detected in a gull on the Kent coast, Thanet District Council has said.

A spokesperson for the council confirmed that a single case of bird flu had been identified in Botany Bay, near Margate.

They warned residents and visitors to not handle dead birds or any other wildlife in the area and to keep pets away from dead wildlife.

Nearly 60 cases of bird flu have been reported in England since November 2024, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Any dead wildlife found should be reported to the council, the spokesperson added.