The territorial government issued a public service announcement earlier this week, warning people about a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza. N.W.T. hunters say they are worried about harvesting birds that may have the virus.

A new strain of avian flu that's been plaguing eastern and central Canada has shown up in B.C., and a chicken farmer says it may have wiped out dozens in her flock. The farmer believes bird feeders, intended for wild birds in the area, spread the virus to her domestic chickens.

The flu now affecting birds in Saskatchewan is a severe strain of influenza that has mingled genes from Eurasia and North America, according to Dr. Trent Bollinger, a professor at Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and a pathologist. Bollinger said that the severity of the disease, which he says is the H5N1 strain, depends on the species.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency say avian influenza has been detected in additional poultry flocks in southern Alberta as well as in Saskatchewan.