White-tailed deer in Illinois tested positive for Covid antibodies

With hunting season underway, what do hunters need to know?

(Bob Armstrong/Unsplash)

It's currently deer hunting season in Illinois. What should hunters know about white-tailed deer and Covid?

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) released the results of a study this summer, confirming SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were present in white-tailed 33% of deer sampled in four states: Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes Covid-19.

In Illinois, 7% of 101 samples contained antibodies.

Finding the antibodies present in the deer means the animals were exposed to the virus that causes Covid, not that they have an active infection.

Experts say the risk is low to humans

In a Questions and Answers pdf explaining the results, APHIS stated, "There is no evidence that animals, including deer, are playing a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to people. Based on the available information, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low."

The infected deer showed no signs of illness

You would not be able to tell if a deer was infected with Covid by looking at it. The experts have found that neither wild white-tailed deer nor captive deer show any signs of illness when infected with SARS-CoV-2.

According to the report, "there were no reports of clinical illness associated with SARS-CoV-2 in the deer populations we surveyed, and clinical signs of SARS-CoV-2 have not been observed in wild white-tailed deer."

Hunters should take precautions when dressing and cooking deer.

According to APHIS, although "there is no evidence that people can get COVID-19 by preparing or eating meat from an animal infected with SARS-CoV-2, including wild game meat hunted in the United States." The report continued, "hunters can get infected with many other diseases when processing or eating game."

Here are some of the safety precautions APHIS recommends:

• Never harvest animals that appear sick or that you found dead.
• Avoid contact between wildlife and pets and hunting dogs.
• Always wear rubber or disposable gloves when preparing meat.
• Do not eat, drink, or smoke when preparing meat.
• Clean all of your equipment after cleaning, and thoroughly wash your hands.
• Cook your meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees or higher.

For a complete list of precautions and further details about the findings, see the Questions and Answers report from APHIS.

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