First Case of Chronic Wasting Disease Confirmed in Page County
LURAY, Va. — The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has confirmed the first case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Page County.
The infected animal, an adult female deer showing symptoms of illness, was reported in July and later humanely dispatched.
CWD is a fatal, slow-moving neurological disease in white-tailed deer, caused by abnormal proteins known as prions. Infected animals can shed prions in saliva, urine, and feces long before showing outward signs of illness.
Deer may not display symptoms for 16 months to two years after exposure. Once symptoms (such as weight loss, a drooping head, and reduced awareness) do appear, disease progression is rapid.
CWD was first detected in Virginia in Frederick County in 2009 and has since spread to wild deer in 18 counties. For years, Page County has been part of Disease Management Area 2 (DMA2) due to its proximity to other known cases.
While there is no evidence CWD can naturally infect humans, livestock, or pets, health experts caution that hunters should test deer harvested in affected areas and avoid consuming meat from animals that test positive.
According to wildlife officials, the Page County CWD detection will not bring additional regulatory changes. However, public participation is critical to tracking the spread of the disease across the state.
The DWR offers the following guidance to help prevent the spread of CWD:
Dispose of unwanted deer carcass parts in a landfill or leave them at the site of harvest.
Follow all carcass transportation regulations – do not move whole deer carcasses outside of Disease Management Areas (DMAs). Infected carcasses can contaminate the environment with CWD and introduce it to new areas.
Follow all deer feeding regulations. Artificially congregating deer increases the risk of spreading CWD. Deer feeding is prohibited year-round in DMAs and statewide September 1 through the first Saturday in January.
If you are hunting in Page County or other counties in disease management areas this fall, consider getting your deer tested through the network of voluntary testing sites including cooperating meat processors and taxidermists and voluntary drop refrigerators. Your participation helps DWR understand the spread of CWD in Virginia’s deer herds.
Anyone who observes deer that appear sick or disoriented is urged to report the sighting to the DWR Wildlife Conflict Helpline at 1-855-571-9003.
To further discuss CWD and how it may affect the deer population in Page County, the public is invited to join the DWR Wildlife Health Team at the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office (215 W. Main Street) in Stanley on October 8, 2025 at 6 p.m.