The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) reported four new instances of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Eastern Region 1. These recent cases have raised the state's total to six confirmed instances, all involving hunter-harvested male white-tailed deer, as detailed on their news release.
Three of these animals were discovered within proximity of the first two positive cases in Spokane County in game management unit (GMU) 124, and an additional case cropped up further north near Davis Lake in Pend Oreille County, within GMU 117. Hunters submitted the deer in question for testing between mid-to-late November, and the ominous results came back in mid-December from the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL) at Washington State University.
"As general season hunts just concluded in Region 1 on Dec. 15, there are still several samples awaiting testing at the lab from the areas where these recent cases were confirmed," explained Donny Martorello, Chief of WDFW’s Wildlife Science Division, suggesting the potential of uncovering more infected deer, as reported by Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife news release.
CWD, a debilitating neurological illness akin to mad cow disease, is caused by misfolded proteins or prions. Infected deer, elk, and moose invariably succumb to the condition, for which there is presently no treatment. While cervids are the known carriers, to date there are no confirmed cases of the disease making a leap to domestic animals or infecting humans. However, concern is not dismissed—authorities advise against consuming animals that test positive for CWD, as a precautionary measure.
Even as hunting seasons draw to a close, WDFW continues its vigilance by testing salvaged animals for CWD. The public can contribute to the effort by reporting any sightings of sick or deceased wildlife. Full details on CWD prevention and a list of confirmed cases can be found on the WDFW’s CWD web page.
