An analysis by Penn State and Iowa researchers found that Covid-19 may be fairly widespread among white-tailed deer. Up to 80 percent of the deer sampled in Iowa from April 2020 through January 2021 were infected with COVID-19. And The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed Covid infections in deer in 15 states total.

Another recent study of deer in Staten Island, New York in December 2021 and January 2022, found white-tailed deer carrying the omicron variant, which marks the first time this varient has been reported in wild animals. These findings worry experts about the possibility for the virus to mutate in wild animals and cause other variants.

The Takeaway gets an explanation of the research from Suresh Kuchipudi, who led the research team and is a Professor and Chair in emerging infectious diseases at Penn State University.