Almost 1.8 million farmed and captive birds have been culled in the past three months because of the spread of avian flu across the UK, the BBC has learned. There have been 33 outbreaks of the virus on farms and, on Wednesday, the government said bird-keepers in five more English counties would have to house flocks indoors from Sunday.

More than 300 dead geese and other waterfowl have been discovered in five counties, and bird flu is likely to blame, officials say.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says it has confirmed avian flu in wild birds in three separate counties in Utah.

First cases are also reported in India’s Maharashtra state, while further outbreaks in commercial flocks have been recorded in Japan and South Korea.

Dead wild birds recently sampled across several Lower Peninsula counties are suspected to be positive for bird flu.

Two parks and a portion of another in a New Jersey borough are closed indefinitely after dozens of geese appeared dead around those sites over the past three weeks.

Health officials urged people to identify avian flu symptoms early and properly cook chicken and eggs to limit risk of infections.