A raven in the Northwest Territories has a confirmed case of bird flu, the NWT government says, and a second case is “suspected.”
After this article was first published, a spokesperson said Fort Smith was the location of both the confirmed and suspected cases.
The raven had the H5N1 strain of avian flu, described as “highly infectious among birds,” which has been spreading across Canada. It has been in the news recently after a teenager in BC was found to be infected with the virus.
This week, the teenager was reported to still be in a critical condition. Dozens of people tested after contact with the teenager showed no signs of infection, and provincial health officials say they are still not sure how the person came to be infected.
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“While the transmission of bird flu to humans is rare and relatively mild in nature, the NWT chief public health officer, Dr Kami Kandola, advises residents to remain cautious,” a statement from the territorial government said on Thursday.
“There is no sign of an outbreak, and risk to other birds remains low.”
Residents are warned to avoid handling wild birds that are found dead or live birds acting strangely.
A full list of safety guidelines is available on the GNWT’s website.
