Columbia Valley Pioneer staff
Concern over chronic wasting disease (CWD) is growing since a new case has been confirmed in the Kootenay region.
The provincial government reports that a white-tail deer (harvested in October) tested positive for the disease; it was confirmed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious and fatal condition affecting the central nervous system in the cervid family, including deer, elk, moose and caribou.
To date, three cases of the disease have been identified in deer populations in the Kootenay region.
The first two cases in B.C. were confirmed by the inspection agency in February — one was a male mule deer harvested by a hunter, and the other was a female white-tail deer killed in a road accident. Both were collected in Cranbrook as part of B.C.’s ongoing chronic wasting disease monitoring efforts.
According to the province, there is no direct evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans and there have been no reports of human cases. However, to prevent potential risk of illness, Health Canada recommends that people do not eat meat of an infected animal. Cooking temperatures cannot destroy the protein that causes CWD.
The province is working in close partnership with First Nations, and other groups on tracking and mitigating the disease. All cases to date have been found within the CWD management zone that includes 14 wildlife units in the Kootenay region.
Measures are in place within this zone to continue to collect data to help mitigate the risk of spread.
People are encouraged to keep submitting their deer samples from harvests and road kills.
“Ongoing vigilance, preventative measures and enhanced surveillance are critical to managing chronic wasting disease and protecting cervid populations and the communities that rely on them,” the province says.
Most infected animals will not show any symptoms of the disease. However, if anyone sees any deer, elk, moose or caribou exhibiting symptoms such as weight loss, drooling, poor coordination, stumbling, or generally sick with no obvious reason, report it to the 24/7 Report All Poachers and Polluters Line at 1-877-952-7277 or the B.C. Wildlife Health Program.
Elk are also susceptible to chronic wasting disease.
PHOTO SYD DANIS
