243 new cases of CWD found during past year, according to Missouri Department of Conservation

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KBSI) — The Missouri Department of Conservation has confirmed 243 new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Missouri deer.

The new cases of CWD were found in 35 counties. It was the first positive cases of CWD for seven counties: Audrain, Callaway, Lewis, Marion, Miller, Morgan and Texas.

MDC estimates there are more than 1.5 million white-tailed deer in the state. The CWD-positive cases were found through a sampling of more than 36,000 deer that were tested during the past deer-hunting season and post-season targeted removal efforts.

In white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family CWD is 100% fatal. According to MDC, the disease has lead to significant declines in the deer population in other states and threatens Missouri’s deer population.

Although the number of CWD-positive counties has increased, MDC Wildlife Health Program Supervisor Deb Hudman said that CWD management efforts have kept infection rates low.

“Less than 1% of samples tested positive for CWD,” Hudman said.

MDC asks hunters and landowners to help in the fight against CWD by continuing to hunt, participating in CWD sampling, following regulations designed to slow CWD spread, and cooperating with targeted removal efforts.

You can learn more about CWD, here.