Manitoba Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures is advising of five new cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD), including cases in two areas with no prior positive detections: the Rural Municipalities of Swan Valley West and Victoria, in Game Hunting Areas (GHA) 13A and 30.
Additionally, three new CWD cases have been confirmed in southern Manitoba. These cases were found in areas with CWD had previously been detected: one in the Parkland region near the community of Dropmore, and two near Coulter in the Municipality of Two Borders.
The province thanks hunters for their participation in efforts to manage CWD and encourages them to submit samples for testing. CWD is not known to pose a human health risk, but meat from a CWD-infected or untested animal is not recommended for consumption. Hunters active in areas where CWD cases have been confirmed should have harvested animals tested and practise safe carcass-handling protocols.
To help reduce the risk of spreading CWD, hunters are reminded to properly dispose of carcasses and related waste. Do not transport high-risk parts (such as the brain, eyes and spine) outside the area where the animal was harvested. Where possible, leave carcass waste at the kill location or use approved local disposal options to prevent potentially infected material from being moved to new areas.
The province encourages hunters to stay vigilant in their efforts to prevent the spread of CWD and to refer to the new CWD dashboard for the updated summary of samples processed and confirmed positive cases: arcgis.com.
CWD is an incurable, fatal disease that affects members of the deer family (cervids) including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose and caribou. Animals infected with CWD may appear healthy until the later stages of the disease. If the disease spreads and becomes endemic to Manitoba, there is a serious risk that CWD will threaten the health of all cervid populations in the province.
First detected in Manitoba in 2021, a total of 35 CWD cases have been confirmed to date. This includes 26 mule deer (23 males and three females) and nine white-tailed deer (eight males and one female).
The 2025-26 provincial testing program is ongoing and has tested over 2,500 samples for CWD. The five new CWD-positive cases include three mule deer (two females and one male) and two male white-tailed deer.
Sample results from harvested animals will be posted at gov.mb.ca. For more information, visit manitoba.ca.
