A worrying situation has arisen on the island of Jøa in Namsos municipality in Norway, where several deer have been observed with serious symptoms of illness this autumn.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Veterinary Institute and Namsos Municipality have been monitoring the situation closely, and have confirmed that the parasite Giardia Duodenalis is the cause of the outbreak.
The variant of Giardia that has been discovered can be transmitted between animals and humans, and via contaminated drinking water.
To limit the spread of infection and alleviate the animals’ suffering, the municipality has implemented drastic measures.
Free hunting of deer has been introduced on Jøa, with the aim of reducing infection pressure in nature and preventing sick animals from suffering through the winter.
The municipality states that water from municipal waterworks is considered safe, but that private wells should be checked.
