Deer disease outbreak suspected in C. Ind. county

GREENCASTLE, Ind. (AP) - Residents of a central Indiana county have reported nearly 100 dead deer in what wildlife officials believe might be a disease outbreak.

An Indiana Department of Natural Resources biologist says most of those dead deer have been found in southern Putnam County.

Biologist Dean Zimmerman tells the Banner Graphic that 17 counties around the state have had suspected cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease among deer, although Putnam County seems to have a large outbreak.

The illness is a viral disease transmitted by small flies that typically occurs during late summer and early fall. It doesn't affect humans.

Zimmerman says the flies that carry the disease reproduce more successfully in dry weather and that it will take a killing frost to end the outbreak.