Nine more cases of chronic wasting disease have been found in wild deer during a disease testing program in eastern Alberta.
From March 15-27, 600 mule deer and 801 white-tailed deer were shot and killed by government officials in the high-risk areas east of Wainwright, near Edgerton and Chauvin.
The disease was confirmed in eight mule deer and one white-tailed deer. These new cases are in addition to the three positive deer confirmed near Empress from 449 deer collected earlier in March.
There are now 29 positive cases of CWD in Alberta’s wild deer since the first case was discovered in wild cervids in 2005.
CWD affects the nervous system, causing infected animals to lose weight and waste away.
