Question Period Note: COVID-19 TRANSMISSION IN WHITE-TAILED DEER

• Environment and Climate Change Canada published a news release on Dec 1, 2021, about the confirmed detections of COVID-19 in three free-ranging, white-tailed deer in Canada. As this is the first detection, information on the potential impacts and spread of the virus in wild deer populations is currently limited.

KEY MESSAGES

• The Government of Canada has confirmed the first detections of SARS-CoV-2 in three free-ranging, white-tailed deer in Canada, found in the Estrie region of Quebec.

• We are working collaboratively with provincial and territorial governments to assess the situation with a view to prevent and reduce its spread.

• There has been no known transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from deer to humans at this time.
IF PRESSED ON IMPACTS TO HUMANS

• As this is the first detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife in Canada, information on the potential impacts and spread of the virus in wild deer populations is currently limited.

• Provinces and territories are responsible for the management of wild deer outside of national parks.

• On November 29, 2021, the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (CFIA) confirmed the first detections of SARS-CoV-2 in three free-ranging white-tailed deer in Canada. These deer were sampled in the Estrie region of Quebec. Samples for SARS-CoV-2 were collected through a big game registration station in southern Quebec. The World Organisation for Animal Health was notified.

• Recent reports have found that white-tailed deer in the US have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, indicating that deer can become infected with the virus from humans and also transmit it within their population.

• Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), CFIA, PHAC and Parks Canada are working closely with federal, provincial, territorial, academia and industry partners to assess the situation.

• CFIA is working with the provinces, other federal partners (ECCC and PHAC), academia and a private practice veterinarian to complete a rapid qualitative risk assessment for SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer.

• The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) considers COVID-19 an emerging disease and requires countries to investigate and report animal cases.

• Current evidence suggests COVID-19 emerged from an animal source, however there is not enough evidence to confirm the original source or explain the original transmission to humans (which may involve an intermediate host).

• The susceptibility of various livestock, pet, and wild species to COVID-19 continues to be studied.

• Recent susceptibility studies performed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on domestic turkeys, chickens and pigs confirmed that these animals do not spread COVID-19 to humans, animals or the environment. CFIA scientists demonstrated that the virus does not replicate in domestic turkeys and chicken and replicates poorly in domestic swine under laboratory conditions. The studies also showed that these animals did not carry the virus in their tissues used for human consumption.

• Recent experimental studies conducted in cattle by various countries have also shown that the virus replicates poorly in this species, is not found in tissues used for human consumption, and does not spread to other animals.

• No natural cases of COVID-19 have been documented in any livestock species (mink not included).

• The United States reported that tigers and lions in the Bronx Zoo tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. They are believed to have been infected by one of the zoo keepers.

• Globally, there have been numerous reports of pets infected in households where owners are sick with COVID-19 in various countries. Some cases have been reported in Canada.

KEY FACTS

• COVID-19 detected in three free-ranging, white-tailed deer in the Estrie region of Quebec.