The Province is responding to a potential case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a male white-tailed deer harvested east of Enderby.

CWD is an infectious and fatal disease affecting species in the cervid family, such as deer, elk, moose and caribou.

Initial testing by the provincial animal health laboratory detected prions (which are abnormal proteins) that may indicate CWD in the deer sample. The sample has been submitted to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for further testing, as the CFIA is Canada’s authority for confirming CWD. Results are expected by early December.

The hunter who submitted the sample has been notified of the potential detection. The Province will update the public if the CFIA confirms the sample to be positive for CWD.

This is the first potential detection in the Okanagan and the first identified outside B.C.’s existing CWD management zone in the Kootenay region.

As part of B.C.’s Surveillance and Response Plan for CWD, the provincial wildlife veterinarian has assembled an incident management team made up of provincial and First Nation partners to prepare for potential next steps ahead of the CFIA's test result. The Province will engage with hunters and partner organizations to share information and guide the next phase of the response.

Hunters are essential partners in B.C.’s CWD surveillance efforts. Without hunter involvement, the scale of surveillance and management required to respond to CWD would not be possible.

People are strongly encouraged to continue submitting samples from deer, elk and moose harvested in B.C. to help build understanding of where the disease is present.

There is no direct evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans and there have been no cases of the disease in humans. However, to prevent any potential risk of transmission or illness, Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend people not eat meat or other parts of an animal infected with CWD.

The Province remains focused on ongoing surveillance and risk-reduction measures to limit transmission, reduce the spread of CWD to new areas and minimize impacts on wildlife.

B.C. has undertaken more than 20 years of ongoing surveillance and preventative measures regarding this disease, with targeted efforts in the highest-risk areas. Recent actions include targeted removal and testing of urban deer in Cranbrook and Kimberley, mandatory testing for harvested deer, moose and elk in the Kootenay region, carcass transport restrictions, and ongoing monitoring with First Nations and local governments. Together with hunters’ participation, these measures help provide early detection, slow the spread of the disease and help safeguard healthy wildlife populations.

To date, there have been six confirmed cases of CWD in B.C. 

Quick Facts:

• Chronic wasting disease was first detected in B.C. in 2024 in two deer sampled from the Kootenay region.
• All four positive cases of CWD identified in the 2024-25 season were white-tailed deer, also from the Kootenay region near Cranbrook, including two males and two females.
• Three of the deer sampled and confirmed to have CWD in the 2024-25 season were harvested by licensed hunters; one was identified through targeted sampling of urban deer.

Learn More:

For more information about of chronic wasting disease, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/wildlife/wildlife-conservation/wildlife-health/chronic-wasting-disease