COVID virus found in deer should prompt hunters to take precautions, Penn State researchers say

More than 80% of white-tailed deer in some locations included in a sample from December 2020-January 2021 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the potentially fatal virus that can lead to COVID-19.

Although the nearly 300 samples were collected from deer in Iowa, as part of that state’s chronic wasting disease surveillance, and the 80% infection rate has only occurred in some parts of Iowa, Penn State researchers believe the findings should be a wake-up call for deer hunters. in Pennsylvania and everywhere.