CHICAGO, Aug 27 – The United States government on Friday confirmed the world’s first cases of COVID-19 deer, expanding the list of animals known to be infected.
U.S. Department of Agriculture He reported infection with SARS-CoV-2, a pandemic that causes COVID-19, in Virginia deer within the state of Ohio, per a press release. there have been no reports of deer showing signs of infection, the USDA said.
“We don’t understand how the deer were introduced to SARS-CoV-2,” USDA spokeswoman Lyndsay Cole wrote to Reuters in an email. “They are also exposed to humans, nature, other deer, or other species of animals.”
The USDA has previously reported COVID-19 to animals including dogs, cats, tigers, lions, snow leopards, otters, gorillas, and cups.
Worldwide, many animal infections are reported in species that are in close contact with an individual with COVID-19, per the organization.
The USDA reported last month that whitetail in Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania were exposed to SARS-CoV-2, supported a study that examined serum samples from free antibodies within the disease.
Ohio State University College of medical specialty collected samples from infected animals in Ohio from January to March as a part of an ongoing study, the USDA said. Samples were considered good COVID-19 in university tests, and cases were confirmed at USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories, in keeping with a press release.