SPOKANE, Wash. – Washington’s first confirmed case of chronic wasting disease was found in a north Spokane neighborhood.
The case was confirmed in an adult female white-tailed deer found in the Fairwood neighborhood in north Spokane.
CWD is an illness that affects the deer family and is fatal in infected deer. There is currently no known cure for the disease.
The disease has been found in 34 other states around the nation but has never been confirmed in Washington until now.
The deer was found in February outside of the normal hunting season, which is why it took a while to be tested.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife explained that samples have to be submitted in large batches, and when deer are not in season for hunting, samples are limited.
The sample of the deer was submitted among around 90 other samples in July.
CWD can spread to other deer, elk, and moose, and over time can reduce cervid populations if it becomes widespread, the WDFW said.
Some common symptoms that can be found in deer with CWD are confusion and stumbling, as well as weight loss.
The WDFW wanted to remind the community that there is no data indicating that CWD can be transmitted to humans from animals.
The department also recommends against consuming meat from an animal that has tested positive for CWD. Testing animals for CWD will be critical during the upcoming hunting season to detect additional cases.
Hunters will be notified about changes to testing and can get more information on the regulations here.
