As the world does all that it can to slow down the spread of the Omicron variant, Canada has reported its first case of COVID in animals.
According to Global News Canada, three deer roaming along the border of Quebec have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. Environment and Climate Change Canada noted the significance of this as it would mean that the disease isn’t just affecting humans, but Canadian wildlife as well.
The samples were collected in early November from the free-roaming animals in the Estrie region of Quebec, which is nestled along the border with the United States.
“Similar to findings in the United States, the deer showed no evidence of clinical signs of disease and were all apparently healthy,” The National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease said in a statement.
The pertinent information was handed over to the World Organisation for Animal Health on December 1.
While there is limited information out there regarding animals and COVID, authorities have urged Canadians to wear their masks around wild deer as they “continue to monitor and assess the potential implications of the virus on Canadian wildlife”.
This is not the first time the virus has infected animals. Multiple species around the world have been infected since the start of the pandemic, including farmed mink, zoo animals, and companion animals including cats and dogs, reports EWN.
Previous research conducted in the US found that there was evidence of spillover of COVID from humans to wild white-tailed deer, which has resulted in the spread of the virus amongst these animals.
However, there is no known evidence that suggests the virus can be transmitted from deers to people.
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