Credits: Social Media
‘Zombie’ disease wiping our deer at an alarming rate prompts fears over human transmission
- Deer are dying in unprecedented numbers at the hands of the ‘Zombie’ disease.
- The spate of infections has led some to question whether humans are at risk of falling ill to the virus.
- While such concerns may well be justified in the future, there have been no cases of human transmission as of yet.
An alarming rise in the illness spells bad news for deer and a number of similar mammals in the US.
‘Zombie’ disease wiping out deers en masse
Zombie Deer Disease, or to give it its proper name, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), is a progressive illness that affects the likes of deer, elk, reindeer and moose – and it’s on the rise in America.
According to reports, the spike derived from a case in Yellowstone National Park, California, in mid-November and has now spread across 31 states and has reached multiple Scandinavian countries.
The exact reasons for the spike are unknown at this time, though CWD is common and has been affecting thousands of animals every year since 1967.
Its symptoms take several months to appear, though they are brutal. Attacks on brain and spinal cord nerves cause animals to lose mobility and suffer from a range of cognitive ability defects.
What research says about Zombie Deer Disease and humans
According to Al Jazeera, speculative research suggests that humans could potentially suffer infection if they ate the meat of an infected animal, though no such cases have been recorded as of yet.
Bodies like the World Health Organization regularly take precautions in order to prevent potentially infectious animals from circulating among consumers.
Of course, animal-to-human disease transmissions do occur fairly regularly.
The COVID-19 pandemic is potentially the most notable example of such an occurrence, with the notorious disease believed to have first occurred in an animal at a food market.
No human transmissions as of yet
Thankfully, however, it would appear we do not have to worry about the Zombie Deer Disease affecting humans at the moment.
Naturally, there are concerns over such an occurrence due to the rise in cases, but given that no humans have contracted the disease since it first began circulating in 1967, there doesn’t look to be evidence to justify such concerns.
To avoid running any risks, be sure to avoid making skin-on-skin contact with deer you believe may be unwell or infected, refrain from handling uncooked deer meat, and listen to any recall advice that may be issued over potentially contaminated produce.
