No further cases of chronic wasting disease have been found in Warren County since the first reported case more than a year ago.

In the past year, 431 samples have been tested, and no additional positive test results reported.

That’s good news for a county that derives a big economic benefit from deer hunting each year. As Denny Munksgard, county treasurer, noted recently, deer hunting is important to meat processors, taxidermists, the hotel industry, gas stations and restaurants in Warren County.

Munksgard isn’t wrong to question the state Game Commission’s decision not to change the 211-mile Disease Management Area created when chronic wasting disease was discovered here. That area includes Elk, Glad, Conewango, Pine Grove and Farmington townships as well as parts of Sugar Grove Township, Sugar Grove Borough, Brokenstraw Township and Youngsville Borough. That’s a large area with a lot of small businesses that could benefit from the return of deer hunting.

But, given deer hunting’s importance locally both for sport and commerce, it probably makes sense to keep the disease management area in place at least for one more year. Chronic wasting disease is highly contagious, and the last thing anyone wants is several years of restrictions that further affects deer hunting in our area.