Canada finds first cases of COVID-19 in three white-tailed deer
December 2, 2021, 1:52 am

Canada finds first cases of COVID-19 in three white-tailed deer

West Canada-Banff national park/Pixabay

The Xinhua reported according to the Environment and Climate Change Canada on Wednesday, Canada has found the first cases of COVID-19 in three white-tailed deer.

On Monday, the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease confirmed the first detections of SARS-CoV-2 in three free-ranging white-tailed deer in Canada.

These deer were sampled between Nov. 6 to 8 this year, in the Estrie region of Quebec. Samples for SARS-CoV-2 were collected through a big-game registration station in southern Quebec. Similar to findings in the United States, the deer showed no evidence of clinical signs of disease and were all apparently healthy. The World Organisation for Animal Health was notified on Wednesday.

Deer-Wildlife in forest/Pixabay

The Environment and Climate Change Canada said in a press release said: "As this is the first detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife in Canada, information on the impacts and spread of the virus in wild deer populations is currently limited."

This finding emphasizes the importance of ongoing surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife to increase understanding about SARS-CoV-2 on the human-animal interface, said the press release.

The Environment and Climate Change Canada calls for added precaution like wearing a well-fitted mask when exposed to "respiratory tissues and fluids from deer."

The virus has been found in multiple animal species globally including farmed mink, cats, dogs, ferrets, and zoo animals such as tigers, lions, gorillas, cougars, otters and others.

The press release added: "Recent reports in the United States have revealed evidence of spillover of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to wild white-tailed deer, with subsequent spread of the virus among deer. There has been no known transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from deer to humans at this time."

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”