Oldham Council has issued advice to the public after suspected cases of avian flu have been found in Alexandra Park.
Six dead geese have been found, resulting in concerns they were sick with the virus.
The council is advising the public:
- Do not touch any sick or dead birds
- Do not feed any birds in the area
- Do not fish in the area
- Keep dogs on their leads in the area
Avian influenza (bird flu) has been detected in a number of wild birds across the UK.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has confirmed that this is normal for the time of year, as wild birds carry the disease to the UK when migrating from Europe and Asia.
The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed that the risk to public health is very low. Additionally, the Food Standards Agency has said that bird flu poses a very low safety risk to UK consumers and that properly cooked eggs and poultry remain safe to eat.
The advice for residents is to not handle sick or dead wild birds of any kind they might find, but instead to call the DEFRA helpline on 03459 33 55 77.
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