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COVID-19 has found its way to an Oregon mink farm, where staff and animals are infected, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
The USDA National Veterinary Service laboratory has confirmed the presence of the virus in 10 samples it received from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and state veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz has put the farm in quarantine until further notice.
“We have been engaged with the Oregon mink industry for some time, providing information on biosafety to prevent the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 and we were ready to respond,” said Scholz.
“The farmer did the right thing by reporting his symptoms early on and is now working with us and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to take care of his animals and staff.
“So far, we have no reports of mink mortality linked to the virus, but that may change as the virus progresses.”
COVID-19 has been found on farms in three other states, including Utah, where 8,000 mink have been lost to the virus, as well as in Michigan and Wisconsin.
Outbreaks have also occurred on farms in the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Spain and Denmark, where the virus has forced the slaughter of 17 million mink.
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