Denver ? Nine more mule deer and an elk taken by hunters outside the chronic wasting disease established area in northeastern Colorado have tested positive for the disease.

The Division of Wildlife is in the process of notifying the hunters who killed the animals, and their license fees will be refunded.

The number of animals being submitted for testing has increased recently because more hunters were in the field during third and fourth rifle seasons.

The number of deer submitted for testing also increased dramatically because deer hunting was not allowed in most areas during the first rifle season.

To date, hunters have submitted around 20,800 animals for testing and test results have been released on around 16,000.

From all harvest sources, including hunters, road kills and culling, CWD has been detected in 91 animals, including 31 outside the area of northeastern Colorado.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease of deer and elk that has been found in portions of southeastern Wyoming and northeastern Colorado for more than two decades.

State and federal health officials have found no connection between CWD and any human illness. But as a precaution, hunters are advised not to eat the meat from any diseased animals.