An outbreak of EHD has claimed the lives of more than 400 deer in Illinois with cases reported in western Illinois. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reporting 432 cases of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease or EHD, in deer so far this year, including reports in Warren, Rock Island and Knox Counties. The viral disease is transmitted by midges that hatch in muddy areas. IDNR’s Doug Dufford says sick deer have been found in a total of 49 Illinois counties.
The worst year for EHD was in 2012 when nearly 3,000 cases were confirmed.