Oh, Deer: Positive COVID Tests Are Staggering In Multiple States

ACROSS AMERICA — What do white-tailed deer in the Midwest and nearby have in common with pet dogs, cats, otters, zoo primates and one ferret? All have tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday said deer in several states have been exposed to the coronavirus. In Illinois, 7 percent of deer have the antibodies. That number grows to 67 percent in Michigan, 44 percent in Pennsylvania and 31 percent in New York.

The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which monitors crops and other wildlife, tested almost 500 deer between January 2020 and March 2021, according to the study. Of those, more than a third tested positive for antibodies.

The confirmation comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in humans continues to soar. On Thursday, the seven-day average of new daily coronavirus cases hit 95,000, according to a Washington Post database — a number not seen since February.

There’s a glimmer of good news here: No animals fell ill, and the risk of the deer passing the virus to humans is deemed to be relatively low. Read the full story on Springfield Patch

Phoenix Police Under Investigation

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into the city of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday. The probe will look into all types of force used by Phoenix police. It will also determine whether the department engages in discriminatory policing or retaliation against citizens and whether it illegally disposes of homeless people's belongings. Read the full story on Phoenix Patch

The COVID Vaccine For Dummies

A sharp surge in COVID-19 cases — many of them driven by the highly contagious delta variant — appears to be motivating more unvaccinated Americans to get their shots. If you’re still on the fence or awaiting your first shot, Patch national editor Beth Dalbey breaks down the vaccines, what’s in them, how they work and more. Read the full story on Across America Patch

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Quotable

"He's not human. My daughter didn't deserve that shot from him. She was only 27 years old. She had two babies to take care of."

- Eleni Peca speaking following the murder of her daughter, Joana. Read the full story via St. Petersburg Patch.

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