"USDA Study Reveals White-Tailed Deer as Reservoir Species for COVID-19 Transmission to Humans"

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has released research indicating that SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, has spread widely within the U.S. white-tailed deer population, possibly transmitted from humans to deer, where it mutated and potentially transmitted back to humans. The study involved the surveillance of over 11,000 white-tailed deer, and the findings suggest that white-tailed deer may act as a "reservoir species" for the virus. While there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus to humans, further research is needed to understand the risks to wildlife conservation and public health.