Results from a deer sample harvested in the Okanagan have come back negative for chronic wasting disease (CWD).
In November, an initial screening test on a male white-tailed deer harvested east of Enderby showed a “non-negative” finding, meaning officials could not rule out CWD without further testing.
The sample was sent to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for confirmatory testing. The agency used three methods, which the B.C. government announced Tuesday all came back negative for CWD.
“While this result is negative, CWD remains a serious concern in B.C. and does not change the confirmed presence of CWD within the provincial CWD management zone in the Kootenay region,” said the province in a statement.
Officials said hunters remain essential partners in the province’s surveillance efforts.
People are asked to continue submitting samples from any deer, elk or moose harvested throughout B.C. to help determine where the disease is present and to detect new cases early.
The province said it will continue implementing actions outlined in B.C.’s Surveillance and Response Plan for CWD, including ongoing surveillance, targeted sampling in higher-risk areas, and collaboration with First Nations, local governments, hunters and partner organizations.
There is no direct evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans, and there have been no reported cases in people.
However, to prevent any potential risk of transmission or illness, Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend that people not eat meat or other parts of an animal infected with CWD.
To date, there have been six confirmed cases of CWD in B.C., all within the Kootenay region.
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