Bird flu Scotland: Outbreaks confirmed at new sites in Aberdeenshire and Dumfries and Galloway

Protection and surveillance measures have been put in place at two premises near Fraserburgh and one near Kirkcudbright. It comes as thousands of dead birds have been removed from beaches around Scotland’s coastline in recent weeks, most notably in Aberdeenshire.

NatureScot, which only monitors the virus in wild bird populations, said they were seeing fewer reports of carcasses since the final week of July.

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The nature agency, however, is seeing small numbers of seabirds which tested positive in other parts of the country, including a guillemot in Dumfries and Galloway and a puffin, a razorbill and two guillemot in Kintyre.

It is thought possible the carcasses may have washed over from Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland, where avian flu has been suspected of hitting kittiwakes and guillemots.

Bird flu has been confirmed in gulls on Canna and signs of the disease have been reported in gulls on Lewis and Harris and in Ullapool. Samples in these areas are still being tested and are awaiting the results.

The virus has also been detected in the Northern Isles, with two Arctic terns testing positive in Shetland, but there are no reports of a widespread effect of avian flu on seabirds at this time in Shetland or Orkney.

Overall, there are now positive avian flu test results from regions including Aberdeenshire, the Highlands, East Lothian, Fife, Angus and Argyll.

NatureScot and partners said they were continuing surveillance at key seabird sites and collecting samples for testing.

Testing updates are posted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. The virus risk to human health is described as low.