Yellowknife (Feb 10/06) - If you noticed a few empty seats in your office, it could be a sign of a virus going around the city.

"I've lost five teachers this week due to sickness," said Merrill Dean, principal of Weledeh Catholic school. "My secretary is also off work, so things are pretty busy here."

Yellowknife is in the early stages of seeing the flu, said Dr. Andre Corriveau, chief medical officer for the Territories, last week. "There is an influenza sweeping Alberta and the western provinces," said Corriveau.

While influenza has not swept the Territories yet, Corriveau said his office has received reports from patients that they have a flu-like virus.

"We are waiting to get a diagnosis from medical officers in Alberta," said Corriveau.

In the meantime, students at Weledeh have also been affected. One day last week, six students were sent home because they couldn't be in the school, said Dean.

The absenteeism is reminiscent of the week before Christmas, when Dean's staff members were complaining about a stomach flu.

"It was bad. My kids were also sick then," said Dean.

John Bowden, principal of St. Patrick high school, didn't notice anything dramatic, but that could be attributed to the time of the year.

"Exams have been on for the last week," said Bowden. "Maybe they're just coming in, and taking the exams ill."

Tuesday, Feb. 7, was the first day of the new school semester, so Bowden said he wouldn't see a change, not yet anyways. "Kids might not show up to the first day, but we'll see.

"I haven't lost many staff to the sickness at all."