Two new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) have been confirmed in a pair of deer hunter-harvested in the Kootenays.
According to the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, both deer samples came from the East Kootenay region where all CWD cases have been identified to date; one deer was harvested near Cranbrook, while the other was harvested near Jaffray.
“These newest confirmations are deeply concerning and the Province continues to work with partners to limit the spread of chronic wasting disease,” said Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, in a press release. “Protecting B.C.’s wildlife is a shared responsibility, and we are grateful to hunters, First Nations and community partners who are working with us to respond and manage the disease effectively.”
CWD is an infectious and fatal disease that affects cervids, including deer, elk, moose and caribou.
Eight test-positive CWD cases have been identified in B.C. to date — all within the East Kootenay — since the first cases were detected around Cranbrook in 2024.
Once CWD is introduced to an area, it is unlikely that the disease will be eradicated completely. However, if caught early, management efforts can contain the disease to limit infection and the rate of further spread.
Understanding what causes CWD and limiting risky activities, such as transporting infected materials, is key to preventing the spread of CWD to new areas.
Since the initial detections, the province implemented a CWD management zone in the Kootenays, which includes mandatory testing for hunter-harvested deer, elk, and moose, as well as restricting the transportation of carcasses outside the management zone.
“As more cases of CWD are confirmed, we are encouraging hunters in every part of B.C. to submit samples from every animal they harvest,” said Jesse Zeman, executive director, B.C. Wildlife Federation, in a press release. “Hunters and hunting continue to be the best tool we have to identify and manage chronic wasting disease.
“Hunting is a useful tool in the targeted management of CWD hotspots to keep the prevalence of CWD low.”
Further CWD management efforts by the province include a special hunt around the rural outskirts of Cranbrook that will allow the harvest of both antlered and antlerless mule deer and white-tailed deer and will be open to any licensed B.C. deer hunter.
That hunt is set for Jan. 5-31, 2026.
The hunt is intended to collect additional samples to screen for disease prevalence in the area.
CWD affects cervids, such as deer, moose, elk and caribou, and is a condition of the central nervous system caused by infectious agents called prions, which kill cells in the brain as they accumulate and lead to neurological disease.
Prions, a type of protein, also accumulate in other tissues and may be shed by the infected animal into water or on plants and bedding through saliva, urine and feces.
It is 100 per cent fatal to wildlife with no known treatment.
However, it is not known to affect humans or livestock, although public health guidance recommends that animals with CWD should not be consumed.