United States: Local state authorities have verified an occurrence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) right here in the North Country.
More about the news
As per the reports, hunters and enthusiasts are already being informed that CWD is a terminal virus affecting the brain and central nervous system of specific types of deer, elk, and moose.
Also, in a joint effort with the New York Ag Department, Department of Health, and Department of Environmental Conservation, officials have positively identified isolated cases of CWD in DEC’s Region Six, which encompasses most of what our listening area here is.
Intensive investigation Underway
Currently, emerging data suggests that CWD is not currently in the wild deer population; DEC will begin intensive monitoring of wild deer in cooperation with hunters, processors, and taxidermists of the area.
Blood samples are also being collected from roadkill in an attempt to detect CWD in free-ranging deer.
To elaborate, there is a minor health danger because, according to biologists, there is no substantial evidence of transmission from CWD to humans.
However, concerning this, DEC advises that the public should not consume the meat of affected animals.
DEC began monitoring for CWD in the state in 2002 and increased the effort in 2005 because CWD had been discovered in captive and wild deer in Oneida County – the first occurrence in New York State.
Rising cases of the disease
There are more than sixty-five thousand wild deer across the state of New York that have been tested for the disease, and there have not been any more confirmed cases of the disease in the state.
As CWD emerges in other states, hunters have much at stake and must do everything to stop CWD from penetrating into New York’s wild deer populations.
CWD is invariably lethal in deer and, if it was introduced to free-ranging populations, could rapidly become widespread and be virtually eradicated once it enters a population group.