Members of the white-tailed deer population of Staten Island have tested positive for the Omicron variant of coronavirus. Though researchers previously identified coronavirus cases in deer in 15 states, including New York, the new Staten Island infections mark the first time the Omicron strain has been detected in wild animals. Of 68 deer captured and tested by the Staten Island research team, at least four were confirmed to have Omicron. There is no evidence currently that deer carrying the virus—infected by humans or other sick deer—are passing it back to us. But experts remain worried about the spillover potential of new mutations allowed to incubate in animal populations. “The circulation of the virus in deer provides opportunities for it to adapt and evolve,” a Penn State University veterinary microbiologist, who worked with the Staten Island team, told The New York Times. “And it’s likely to come back and haunt us in the future.”
