If you live in New York, then you may want to steer clear of venison this season. Officials are reporting zombie deer disease in the state for the first time in years.
So they're warning the public out of an abundance of caution. Officials discovered a case of chronic wasting disease in a county bordering Canada. It's the first time that the disease has appeared in the deer population in 20 years. No they're not technically the walking dead, but CWD does cause brain impairments in the animal. It causes the brain to deteriorate. That results in the animals staring blankly and also causing drool. The disease is fatal in animals.
New York's Department of Agriculture and Markets found the disease during routine testing. However, the organization notes that it doesn't believe the disease is in wild deer. It also said that the "threat to public health is low." But, it's advising against consuming venison to be on the safe side. According to the organization, "There is no evidence that CWD can infect humans, people should not consume meat from infected animals."
It's the first reported case since 2005. As a result, the state plans to increase testing and monitoring in wild deer. The disease spreads easily in animals. But there's no evidence it can spread to humans, but some experts think it is possible.
Deer Hunting
Specifically, two hunters died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease earlier this year. It's a similar disease with an equally fatal death rate. Researchers noted that infected deer meat may have caused the hunters to get the disease.
They wrote, "Although causation remains unproven, this cluster emphasizes the need for further investigation into the potential risks of consuming CWD-infected deer and its implications for public health."
Basically, it's probably best to be safe than sorry. That being said, I think it's fine to eat venison as long as you know the source and where it comes from. If you're out in the woods and kill your own deer, then just watch out for signs of CWD. They include stumbling, drooling, lack of fear, and also weight loss.
Keep an eye for any strange symptoms in your prey.
