The state Department of Fish and Wildlife had confirmed four new cases of chronic wasting disease among deer in Eastern Washington, bringing the total number cases in the state to six.
All four of the recent cases were hunter-harvested male white-tailed deer.
Three of the deer were harvested within 5 miles of the first two positive cases in Spokane County. The fourth was confirmed several miles, north near Davis Lake in Pend Oreille County.
All four animals were submitted for chronic wasting disease testing and samples were collected by Department of Fish and Wildlife staff in November.
Lymph nodes from the deer were submitted to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Washington State University and results were recently reported.
“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,” Wildlife Science Division Chief Donny Martorello said in news release. “So, there is the potential that we could find additional positive cases.”
Fish and Wildlife has been running an extensive chronic wasting disease testing program this hunting season in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease to other areas of the state.
In an effort to slow the spread of the disease, changes have been made to rules that impact hunters, game salvagers and those who feed wildlife.
With most deer, elk and moose hunting seasons over for the year, Fish and Wildlife will continue to test salvaged animals for and encourage people to report sick or dead animals.
Chronic wasting disease can be spread to deer, elk and moose.
There are no confirmed cases of chronic wasting disease spreading from wildlife to domestic animals or from members of the deer family to other wild species.
There is also no evidence of it being transmitted to humans.
To minimize risk to humans, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends against consuming meat from an animal that has tested positive.
