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The Northwest Territories government says it has confirmed two cases of bird flu in common ravens in Yellowknife.
A news release on Wednesday says the two cases of avian influenza were confirmed as part of an ongoing monitoring program for the virus in wildlife in the territory.
It says testing identified the H5 strain of the virus, which it called “highly infectious among birds.”
However, the release says these two cases “appear to be isolated,” and the risk to other wildlife remains low.
There have been a total of 11 confirmed cases of bird flu in Northwest Territories since 2022, and no infections among humans have been reported.
But Dr. Kami Kandola, the chief public health officer, is reminding people to be careful when handling birds.
People are being advised not to touch birds that have been found dead, and to report any sightings of sick or injured wildlife.
The government is also asking hunters to wear gloves and wash their hands while dressing birds, process them in an area with good air circulation, disinfect surfaces afterward, and cook meat to 74 C or 165 F.
The release says the flu vaccines don’t offer protection against avian influenza but may reduce the risk of coinfection with the seasonal flu and the H5N1 virus that could lead to a strain that could spread among humans.