LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska wildlife officials say a fatal deer illness has now been confirmed in the southeastern corner of the state.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says testing done on deer killed by hunters in Thayer, Saline, Cass and Polk counties showed evidence of the disease.
Chronic wasting disease affects deer and elk and is always fatal. No human cases have ever been recorded.
The disease was first discovered in Nebraska in 2000 in Kimball County.
Officials have tested nearly 49,000 deer over time and found 296 that tested positive. The disease has been found in 34 Nebraska counties.
More information about the disease is available online at www.OutdoorNebraska.gov/cwd .