Following the confirmation of an avian flu epidemic on a farm in the north of England, people on the Isle of Man have been cautioned not to handle ill or dead birds.

Following the discovery of cases in commercial poultry on a farm in East Riding, Yorkshire, on Tuesday, a 6.2-mile (10-kilometer) surveillance zone was established around the location.

Since the virus is mostly spread by wild birds, the risk is rated the same as in the UK even though no cases have been reported on the island.

The government's chief veterinary officer Amy Beckett urged keepers to be "vigilant and take action to protect their birds", after the second UK outbreak.

Dr Beckett said the virus tended to flare up during the winter months before fading during the warmer weather.

As it was primarily a disease of birds, the risk to human health was "very low", she added.

The virus is largely spread by infected wild birds coming into contact with kept birds, through droppings and saliva, or contaminated feed and water.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defa) has advised keepers to minimise the number of people who come into contact with their birds, and disinfect equipment regularly.

They should also be housed in a way that keeps contact with wild species to a minimum, and those who suspect a case of bird flu have been urged to contact the department's health team.