CWD reaches a new northern limit with discovery of deer disease in Beltrami County Discovery on Beltrami County farm threatens animals on tribal lands. April 15, 2021 9:14pm Text size Copy shortlink:
The latest confirmed spread of chronic wasting disease has taken the dreaded deer threat as far north as it s ever been found in Minnesota, to an area northeast of Bemidji where tribal hunting is now at increased risk for CWD.
State officials earlier this month confirmed that the contagious and always fatal neurological disease in deer, elk and moose was discovered in a dead, commercialized white-tailed deer inside the fence of a farm recently cited for a record-keeping violation. The animal was acquired in 2019 from the same deer farm in Winona County that sourced another CWD-positive deer. That animal was living at a deer farm in Houston County when the disease was detected five months ago.
Report spotlights inequalities in COVID-related restrictions
COVID-related mobility restrictions such as stay-at-home orders had disproportionate burdens on women, minorities, and lower-income populations, according to a study yesterday in
JAMA Network Open.
On average, 90,692.8 US adults answered a weekly survey from Apr 23 to Jul 21, 2020, reporting how they thought the COVID-19 pandemic affected their well-being. Mean mobility reduction was 24.8%, and every 10% reduction was associated with higher odds of unemployment (odds ratio [OR], 1.3), food insufficiency (OR, 1.1), mental health problems (OR, 1.04), and class cancellations with no alternative (OR, 1.1). The other two well-being metrics, inaccessibility to medical care and defaulting on the previous month s home mortgage/rent payment, were not linked with mobility reduction.
Photo: Courtesy of Bob Diepenbrock. Josh Skluzacek
A new chronic wasting disease (CWD) infection has been confirmed in northern Minnesota.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) said a 3-year-old white-tailed doe at a Beltrami County farm has been confirmed positive for CWD. It comes after a 77-head herd was quarantined in October as part of a BAH investigation into a Houston County detection.
BAH said the owner of the Beltrami County herd bought 11 animals from the Winona County herd also identified in the investigation, and the animals were considered CWD-exposed. This detection is disheartening, BAH Assistant Director Dr. Linda Glaser said. Our investigation and tracing led us to find this positive animal. However, CWD continues to negatively impact Minnesota farmed cervid producers, and the tools we have to control this disease are so limited. The Board will work with the USDA to get this herd depopulated to stop any spread of disease from the he