The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic has infected millions of people around the world. In the two years since it emerged, the virus has mutated, become more powerful, and led to waves of infections that initially resulted in a large number of deaths.

That’s why health experts around the world are advising people to minimize physical contact, wear protective gear like masks and face shields, and sanitize their hands and wherever they go to protect themselves from the virus.

But now, a new development is worrying doctors and experts in the U.S. — the coronavirus has been found in white-tailed deer in Iowa. Even more dangerous, according to health care experts, is that there are 30 million such animals, and they often come into contact with humans.

When scientists sifted through frozen samples of deer killed by hunters or cars in 2020, they found that 60 percent of them were infected with the coronavirus, according to a New York Times report.

“It’s fantastic,” Penn State microbiologist and infectious disease expert Vivek Kapur told The New York Times. To date, his team has analyzed samples of 4,000 dead deer and mapped the location of each infected animal. “It’s totally crazy. It looks like it’s everywhere,” he said.

Adaptation of animals is one way in which new variants may emerge. “This is the number one concern in America right now,” Dr. Kathy Barton Bellavish, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Office of Unified Health, told The New York Times.

Last August, the United States reported its first case of Covid-19 in a deer. But the new finding has reignited concerns about a new wave of infections believed to be spread by animals. The USDA has previously reported Covid-19 in animals including dogs, cats, tigers, lions, snow leopards, otters, gorillas and minks.

Minks have attracted a lot of attention, leading to mass culling of the animals.

Scientists have long feared that the infection could spread from animals to humans, but sought more research before drawing any conclusions. In the latest case from Iowa, they said those who ate cooked venison had a lower risk of contracting the Sars-CoV-2 virus than those who came into contact with feces and feces. In addition, the virus can be transmitted in lions, which kill deer by biting into their windpipe or nose and mouth.

The New York Times, citing scientists, said early research suggested cows and pigs had the lowest risk of contracting the coronavirus. But in the deer’s body, which shows few symptoms, it can turn into a pathogen capable of infecting the livestock.

According to the CDC, the risk that animals will transmit Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, to humans is low.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times