Mississippi confirms second deer found with fatal disease

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A second case of a debilitating deer disease has been confirmed in Mississippi.

The state Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks announced Tuesday that additional tests confirm a white-tailed deer found Oct. 8 in Pontotoc County had chronic wasting disease.

The contagious and fatal neurological disease causes deer to have tremors and other movement problems and lose weight. The disease is already present in 24 other states.

An earlier case was found in January in Issaquena County.

The department is implementing restrictions in Pontotoc and Union counties, and in Lee County west of U.S. 45, to control the disease’s spread. Supplemental feeding, supplemental minerals, removing certain deer carcass parts, and trapping wild hogs without a permit are banned.

The department is encouraging area hunters to submit killed deer for testing.