For The 1st Time, Chronic Wasting Disease Found In Dakota County

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reporting the first known case of chronic wasting disease found in Dakota County.

A deer was reported by a resident near Farmington, and tests found that the deer was positive for the condition.

That means the deer was found nearly 100 miles away from the state's primary area of chronic wasting disease activity, near Preston, Minnesota.

"An informed citizen did the right thing by calling DNR, which allowed us to identify and remove this deer from the landscape," DNR wildlife research manager Lou Cornicelli said. "We're hopeful the disease is not widespread in the area."

Additionally, there have been four additional CWD-positive deer reported at a Pine County farm.

Chronic wasting affects deer, elk and moose but is not known to affect human or pet health.