Manitoba discovers 5 new Chronic Wasting Disease cases

Chronic Wasting Disease impacts animals in the deer family. (CTV News)

The province is cautioning hunters it’s found animals infected with a fatal disease in two new regions.

A media release from Manitoba Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Monday said its identified five new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

It found two new cases of CWD in the R.M. of Swan River and R.M. of Victoria, one in Game Hunting Area (GHA) 13A and one in GHA 30. It’s the first time CWD has been detected in those areas.

The provincial department said it’s also found two new of CWD cases near Coulter in the R.M. of Two Borders and one new case near Dropmore, which is in the Parklands region. CWD has previously been detected in those areas.

CWD impacts animals in the deer family. The province said the new cases were in three mule deer, two females and one male, and two male white-tailed deer.

Province asking hunters to be vigilant

The province is asking people hunting to send their animals for testing, especially those hunting in areas with confirmed cases of CWD.

“Hunters are reminded to properly dispose of carcasses and related waste,” the release said. “Do not transport high-risk parts (such as the brain, eyes and spine) outside the area where the animal was harvested.”

It said CWD is not known to pose a risk to human health, however it asked people to not to consume an infected animal or animals that have not been tested.

A total of 35 CWD cases have been confirmed since 2021, according to the province. Those cases include 26 mule deer and nine white-tailed deer.