A new study found that white-tailed deer on Staten Island, New York, were infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant, triggering concerns that the variant could spread via animals.
The study, which is in preprint and was published on the BioxRiv website, was carried out on Staten Island between Dec. 12, 2021, and Jan. 31, 2022. They found that of the 131 deer that were sampled, 19 tested positive for having Omicron antibodies, suggesting a prior exposure to the virus.
