Health experts have issued warnings about the possibility of a ‘zombie deer disease’ spreading to humans as cases surge. The condition, scientifically called chronic wasting disease (CWD), is rapidly spreading across the US and Canada, sparking concerns of its potential to reach the UK.
CWD has extended its reach to 32 states in the US and four Canadian provinces. Infected deer exhibit zombie-like symptoms such as listlessness, jitteriness, drooling, and a vacant stare, raising fears about the disease’s transmissibility to humans.
Dr. Cory Anderson, co-director of a CWD program at the University of Minnesota, emphasized the fatal, incurable, and highly contagious nature of the disease. Drawing parallels to the BSE (mad cow) outbreak in Britain, he highlighted the potential for a similar spill-over event from deer to humans.
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Dr. Michael Osterholm, a US epidemiologist who previously warned Britain about the risks of mad cow disease, expressed concern about the probable transmission of CWD from deer to humans in the future. He described the disease as “so terrifying for both deer and humans, it’s like something horror writer Stephen King would dream up.”
While the UK has not reported any confirmed cases, measures are in place to respond if CWD is diagnosed in deer. The public is urged to report any suspected cases to the relevant authorities, with failure to do so constituting a legal offense. The global susceptibility of almost every deer species to CWD underscores the potential disastrous impact on wildlife should an outbreak occur in the UK.