FARMINGTON, W.Va. (AP) - The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has received several calls of dead white-tail deer in Harrison County, and it may be a result of epizootic hemorrhagic disease.

“Samples have been collected by the Wildlife Resources Section and submitted for testing, and we are awaiting the results,” said Steven E. Rauch, wildlife biologist for the Farmington District Office, in an email to The Exponent Telegram. However, “I am suspecting that there is a EHD (epizootic hemorrhagic disease) occurring. This disease is spread by an insect called a bitting midge or fly.

“We have also received calls from Barbour, Monongalia and Taylor counties, but these calls have not be widespread nor plentiful at this point,” Rauch wrote.

One Harrison County farmer, Rick Brown, reported at least six dead deer recently on his Lumberport property, and shared a photo of a dead buck in velvet from Crooked Run.

This news comes after an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in white-tailed deer in parts of West Virginia was reported last week via a news release from the Wildlife Resources Section.

According to that release, deer were found dead this year in small areas of Summers, Monroe and Greenbrier counties, and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus was isolated in Summers County, the release stated.

Hemorrhagic disease can be caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus or by blue tongue virus, but no cases of blue tongue virus have been detected thus far, according to the release.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus does not normally have a major impact on the deer population, but may cause local reductions of 20% or less in a deer herd, according to the release.

“The disease disappears with the first frost, because the spread of the virus is dependent on small midges called Culicoides that are killed by cold temperatures,” said Gary Foster, assistant chief in charge of game management for DNR, in the news release.

The virus does not present in West Virginia every year, but previous outbreaks were reported in 1996, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017, according to the news release.

The virus does not persist in deer that survive infection and is not contagious to humans.

“Although hunters should never consume an obviously sick deer, EHDV is not a reason for hunters to be concerned about consuming their deer,” Foster said.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease is not related to chronic wasting disease, which has only been detected in Berkeley, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral and Morgan counties, according to the release.

Landowners and hunters are urged to report sick or dead deer to their DNR district offices: Farmington, 304-825-6787; Romney, 30-4822-3551; French Creek, 304-924-6211; Beckley, 304-256-6947; Point Pleasant, 304-759-0703; Parkersburg, 304-420-4550.

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Information from: The Exponent Telegram, http://www.theet.com

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