WHERE IT STANDS
CWD ACROSS NORTH AMERICA.
Counts include wild deer, elk and moose and captive herds. Source: U.S. Geological Survey, June 2026 update.
Is there a cure? Not yet. There is no treatment, cure, or approved vaccine for CWD in deer or elk today. Researchers are making progress on vaccines and faster tests. Follow that work in the research watch below.
Pick a state to see its CWD news below and open its wildlife agency.
OUR HOME STATE
VIRGINIA 2025–26 RESULTS.
From Virginia DWR’s surveillance report, released May 20, 2026.
| Area | Counties | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMA1 | Frederick (60), Clarke (10), Shenandoah (9), Warren (4) | 562 | 83 |
| DMA2 | 11 counties. Positives in Loudoun (11), Fauquier (7), Madison (4), Rappahannock (4), Culpeper (3), Fairfax (2), Page (1) | 2,883 | 32 |
| DMA3 | 8 counties. Positives in Floyd (7), Montgomery (2), Pulaski (1), Roanoke (1) | 2,158 | 11 |
| DMA4 | Bland, Smyth, Tazewell | 231 | 0 |
| Outside DMAs | Rest of the state | 2,001 | 0 |
No DMA boundary changes are expected for 2026–27. Deer feeding is banned year-round within 25 miles of a detection. Read the DWR report Virginia hunting regulations
UPDATED EVERY 30 MINUTES
LATEST CWD NEWS.
New detections, rule changes and research from the CWD Alliance, CIDRAP at the University of Minnesota, state agencies and hunting outlets.
Loading the latest CWD news…
News, not regulations. Always confirm testing and carcass rules with the state where you hunt. Find your state’s agency
CURE & RESEARCH WATCH
HOW CLOSE IS A FIX?
The milestones we are following. Status labels show how far each one has gotten: lab, field, or in use.
- Lab study
2026 · University of Calgary · PLOS Pathogens
Vaccine cut CWD shedding in lab mice
Vaccinated mice that were then infected shed less prion, or none, in their feces and urine. Shedding is how CWD spreads from deer to deer and into the soil. This is the first real sign a vaccine could slow spread in the wild. It has not been tested in wild deer.
Schatzl Prion Lab - In development
Ongoing · University of Calgary
A vaccine wild deer could take by mouth
The same team is working toward a vaccine for free-ranging deer and elk that could be delivered in bait. Any vaccine for wildlife would still need years of field trials and government approval.
UCalgary News - Field test
Since 2021 · University of Minnesota
MN-QuIC: a CWD test that works outside the lab
A portable version of the RT-QuIC test that can give results in about a day without a full laboratory. Faster testing means hunters get answers sooner and agencies can find new outbreaks earlier.
UMN College of Veterinary Medicine - Lab study
University of Calgary · Science Advances
Limited spread to primates in the lab
Researchers found limited transmission of deer and elk prions to nonhuman primates. No human case of CWD has been confirmed, but health agencies still advise caution.
Schatzl Prion Lab - In use now
Every season · state agencies
Testing hunter-harvested deer
Lymph-node testing of harvested deer is still the main way CWD is tracked. Every sample hunters submit adds to maps like the ones on this page.
Virginia DWR results
We add milestones as research is published. Know of one we missed? Tell us
DO YOUR PART
WHAT HUNTERS CAN DO.
Simple steps that slow the spread and protect your family.
Test your deer
If you hunt in or near a CWD area, have your deer tested and wait for a negative result before eating the meat. Do not eat meat from an animal that tests positive or looks sick.
CDC guidance on CWDFollow transport rules
Most states limit moving whole carcasses out of CWD areas. Bring back deboned meat, clean skull plates, antlers and hides. Bag and dispose of the rest the way your state requires.
Your state’s rulesDon’t concentrate deer
Feeding and baiting pull deer together and help prions spread. Check whether your county has a feeding ban, and report any deer that look thin, weak or sick to your state wildlife agency.
CWD Alliance resourcesThis page is for general information. It is not medical or legal advice. Sources: U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia DWR, CDC, University of Calgary, University of Minnesota, CWD Alliance, CIDRAP.