The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says cases of a frequently deadly viral disease that affects deer have been confirmed in the state for the first time.
The department says current and suspected cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease have been confirmed in deer in Castleton and West Haven They are likely related to more widespread outbreaks occurring in New York which has documented cases of the disease in several counties in the Hudson Valley, including some that border Vermont.
Outbreaks can temporarily lower the size of a local deer population but do not have a significant impact regionally on the number of deer, officials said. The disease is spread to deer by biting midges, sometimes called no-see-ums. The disease does not spread from deer to deer and humans cannot get infected from deer or bites of midges.
The department recommends that hunters whose favorite hunting spots are affected by the virus consider exploring new areas.
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