9th diseased deer found
Photo: Terry Kreeger, Wyoming Game and Fish and Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance
A deer showing signs of Chronic Wasting Disease.
Another case of chronic wasting disease has been detected in the East Kootenay.
The ninth case of “zombie deer” disease was found in a white-tailed deer harvested near Jaffray, B.C., said the provincial government on Friday.
CWD is an infectious and fatal disease affecting cervids such as deer, elk, moose and caribou. It causes a condition that leads to extreme weight loss, stumbling, listlessness, and behavioural changes like losing fear of humans, hence the “zombie” nickname. There is no cure.
The new case, like all the prior cases, was found in the province’s CWD management zone in the Kootenay region.
“The Province continues to work closely with First Nations, hunters, local and federal governments and non-government partners to monitor the disease and reduce the risk of further spread,” said the province.
Hunters are strongly encouraged to submit samples from deer, elk and moose harvested anywhere in B.C. to help determine where the disease is present and to detect new cases as early as possible.
There is no direct evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans, but researchers have said it’s theoretically possible. As a result, Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend that people do not eat meat or other parts of an animal infected with CWD.