COVID-19 detected for first time in Ontario wildlife
Samples taken from five free-ranging white-tailed deer in southwestern Ontario have tested positive for COVID-19, marking the first time the virus has been detected in the province’s wildlife.
In an email to CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry said the samples were taken in November by way of the ministry’s chronic wasting disease surveillance program.
The samples were confirmed to contain SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease. The exact location of where the deer are located was not made available by the province.
Prior to the discovery, COVID-19 had been reported in animals in northeastern U.S., Quebec, and Saskatchewan, according to the ministry.
At this time, officials say that the affected deer show no clinical signs of illness and appeared healthy and the ministry maintained that the risk of wildlife spreading COVID-19 to humans is low.
“There is currently no evidence that you can get COVID-19 from food, including game meat, however it is always important to cook meat to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) to kill any parasites, viruses or bacteria that may be present,” the ministry said in a post to Facebook.
Also, the ministry is advising the public to not work with wildlife if you think you may have COVID-19, avoid unnecessary contact with wildlife, and not feed wildlife because it can spread disease.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW 'Oh my God, you're my brother': Manitoba man discovers six unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Canucks hold off Oilers for 4-3 win in Game 3
Brock Boeser had two goals and an assist, and the Vancouver Canucks hung on for a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise's disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.