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DNR confirms viral disease in deer in 11 southwest Michigan counties

White Tailed deer
Pixabay via WKAR
White Tailed deer

Outbreaks of EHD typically occur in late summer and early fall but cease with the first frost

Since early September, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Health Section has confirmed epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, in the wild deer population across 11 counties in southwest Michigan. The affected counties include Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Hillsdale, Kalamazoo, Kent, Ottawa, St. Joseph and Van Buren.

A news release says EHD, a common viral disease that primarily affects white-tailed deer, is transmitted through the bite of an infected midge, or biting fly.

Outbreaks of EHD typically occur in late summer and early fall but cease with the first frost, which kills the midge population.

Chad Fedewa, acting deer specialist for the DNR Wildlife Division, says quote, “EHD is not expected to have widespread deer population-level impacts, but it can significantly affect localized areas if mortality is severe. He adds, “After an outbreak, local deer populations usually rebound after a few years.” ’ End quote.

If you suspect you have found a deer that has contracted or died from EHD the DNR asks you to submit to their reporting system.

Jennifer is an award winning broadcast news journalist with more than two decades of professional television news experience including the nation's fifth largest news market. She's worked as both news reporter and news anchor for television and radio in markets from Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo all the way to San Francisco, California.
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