British seaside resorts are reporting sightings of hundreds of thousands of dead seabirds which may be carrying lethal diseases or parasites, the Press Association reported.
The dead birds have washed up on the shores of major cities, including London, Brighton, Kent and Surrey, leading to warnings about health risks.
The “incident team” at the Marine Conservation Society said it is unaware of any other incidents like this, although there are still animals on the sea bed which may have died from the same poisoning.
The birds, which appear to be beached or dead, are sticking to popular British beaches, including sheltered bays, inlets and sandy beaches.
Marine Conservation Society spokesman Matt Surridge said: “Mumps-like symptoms are being reported among birds in the area, and if anything is significant, that would be unprecedented. “Given the number of places affected, it’s quite a specific outbreak of something.”
The dead birds reportedly appear to be coming from Morocco, where the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus has spread through the population.
