OHIO — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources confirmed this week that deer in five Ohio counties tested positive for chronic wasting disease — a fatal, neurological disease in deer, elk and moose that spreads through contact with infected animals or contaminated environments.

According to data from ODNR, 23 deer tested positive in Huron, Marion, Wyandot, Morrow and Allen counties. It was Morrow's first time having a deer test positive for the disease. 

ODNR said it has tested a total of 5,783 deer during the 2024-25 hunting season so far. According to the ODNR, the disease was discovered in the wild back in 2020 in Wyandot County, and they have had regular surveillance for it since 2002.

In previous years, nine deer had CWD in the 2021-22 hunting season, 11 deer in the 2022-23 hunting season and 27 deer in he 2023-24 hunting season. Wyandot has had the most confirmed cases (37), followed by Marion (10), Hardin (1) and Allen (1).

More information on how to get deer tested for CWD as well as how to dispose of them can be found here.