Discovery of Omicron in New York deer raises concern over possible new coronavirus variants | South China Morning Post

The discovery of the Omicron variant in white-tailed deer in New York has raised concerns that the species, numbering 30 million in the United States, could become hosts of a new coronavirus strain, a lead researcher said on Tuesday. Blood and some nasal swab samples from 131 deer captured on New York's Staten Island revealed that nearly 15 per cent had virus antibodies. The finding suggested that the animals had previous coronavirus infections and were vulnerable to repeated reinfections with new variants, researchers led by Pennsylvania State University scientists said. "Circulation of the virus in an animal population always raises…