CWD encroaches on northeastern North Carolina with detection in Edgecombe County

News brief

White-tailed buck — Tidewater Teddy / Flickr cc

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in northeastern North Carolina for the first time with the discovery of an infected white-tailed buck in Edgecombe County, 92 miles from the nearest previous detection, in Cumberland County.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) said in a press release that the 3.5-year-old deer was harvested by a hunter in the eastern corner of Edgecombe County, a few miles from its border with Pitt and Martin counties.

"We are certainly not happy to learn that we may have a new CWD infected area in the northeastern part of the state," Chris Kreh, Game and Furbearer Program assistant chief, said in a news release on the preliminary test result earlier this month. "However, this is what our surveillance plan is designed to do—find areas where CWD is occurring, as early as possible, so we can minimize its impact."

The case is North Carolina's 35th since CWD was first detected in the state in 2022. Over the past 4 years, NCWRC has tested samples from nearly 3,000 deer in Edgecombe and neighboring counties.

Improper carcass disposal may spread disease

The commission said any related changes to hunting regulations would take effect during the 2026-27 hunting season.

We are certainly not happy to learn that we may have a new CWD infected area in the northeastern part of the state.

Chris Kreh

CWD is a neurologic disease that kills cervids such as deer, elk, and moose. It's caused by infectious misfolded proteins called prions, which are transmitted from animal to animal and through environmental contamination.

"Deer may appear healthy during early stages of infection, therefore, NCWRC stresses to hunters the importance of taking precautions when transporting or disposing of deer carcasses; improper disposal may lead to moving CWD to new locations," the release said.

CDC: 31 infants now sickened with botulism in formula-related outbreak

News brief

Stephanie Soucheray, MA

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed eight new cases of infant botulism in the outbreak tied to powdered ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula, bringing the number of infections to 31 in 15 states, an increase of two states since the last update.

The CDC warned parents to seek immediate medical care if their infant consumed ByHeart formula and then developed poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing, and decreased facial expressions.

Symptoms of infant botulism can take as long as several weeks to develop, so parents should remain vigilant.

“Symptoms of infant botulism can take as long as several weeks to develop, so parents should remain vigilant if they used ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula,” the CDC said. For 27 cases with illness onset information available, illnesses started on dates ranging from August 9 to November 13, 2025, the CDC said.

All patients hospitalized

All 31 patients have required hospitalization, So far, Texas has reported the most cases, with six, while California has four cases, and Oregon and Arizona each have three. The two new states added in this update are Idaho and Maine.

ByHeart infant formula products account for roughly 1% of all infant formula sold in the United States. The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration recommend that parents and caregivers stop using any ByHeart infant formula products immediately.