Omicron Variant in White-Tailed Deer

Omicron Variant in White-Tailed Deer

• According to a study, some white-tailed deer living in the US are infected with the SARS-CoV-2’s Omicron variant.
• The study is yet-to-be peer-reviewed and has been posted recently on the bioRxiv preprint repository.
• This study also found SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in one of the deer that is Omicron-infected. This suggests that similarly to humans, these animals can also be re-infected with the COVID-19 virus.
• The team, last year, found that up to 80 percent of white-tailed deer that were sampled across Iowa, US have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
• It was the first time the SARS-CoV-2 virus had been discovered in a free-living animal.
• The latest research shows that many urgent steps are needed to track the virus’s progress in deer and prevent human infection.
• This study might reveal whether it is possible for the virus to spread back to humans from deer.

Published date : 09 Mar 2022 04:18PM