Western Cape authorities say they are responding to a suspected outbreak of bird-flu among wild sea-birds in the Bergrivier Municipality on the West Coast.

Suspected cases of the disease have also been reported in the Walker Bay area in the Overberg.

The Western Cape department of Local Government and Environmental Affairs says disaster-response services have been notified, while officials have been dispatched to collect the dead and sick birds.

Members of the public have been advised to avoid the areas and to not collect or touch sick or dead birds.