The National Trust has announced it will close the Farne Islands from Sunday July 3 due to the impact of the spread of Avian Influenza (AI) on its seabird colonies.
Avian Influenza, better known as bird flu, was first discovered in UK domestic bird populations last winter and is now impacting wild birds, with infection proving to be fatal. In recent weeks, dead birds have been found at several locations on the Northumberland Coast including Bamburgh Beach, Druridge Bay and Warkworth Beach, with Northumberland County Council, the RSPB and DEFRA warning the public not to touch dead or visibly sick birds.
The disease is spread when birds come into direct contact with an infected birds, faeces, body fluids or indirectly via food and water. The risk of transmission to humans is considered to be low, though according to UKCDR figures, 600 cases of AI in humans have shown a mortality rate of 60%.
