Bird flu: Isle of Man surveillance zone closed

People have been urged to continue to report suspected cases of the virus

The Isle of Man is no longer classed as an infected area for avian flu, the government's chief vet has confirmed.

An all-island surveillance zone has closed after no further cases were found in kept birds.

It was put in place in mid-January after 11 kept geese found dead in Sulby were found to have had the H5N1 strain.

However, chief vet Amy Beckett warned there was "still a significant risk to kept birds this winter" from the highly-contagious virus.

"We urge people to house them were possible and continue to practise good biosecurity," she said.

The lifting of the all-island surveillance zone follows the easing of a 1km (0.6 miles) radius protection zone in Sulby a week ago.

Although there have been two further cases of the virus confirmed in wild birds found dead at Tholt-y-Will and St John's, additional measures were not put in place in those areas as they were not kept birds.